Shawdesh Desk:

The railway authorities have prepared the draft Bangladesh Railway Bill, 2024, by keeping a provision for letting private companies own rolling stock to carry passengers, goods, and parcels.

The Bangladesh Railway will give approval to private companies to use railway tracks, signals, and other physical infrastructure in this regard, the draft said.

The draft said that if any employee of a private company violates the law, the individual will be tried under this law.

However, if the private company concerned takes punitive action against the violation of the rules, no further action will be taken.

Good governance experts said that the authorities should be careful about allowing private companies to provide train services to avoid hostage situations seen in the road transport sector.

The draft law was presented at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Rail Bhaban in the capital on Monday.

Currently, the railway is operating under the Railways Act, 1890.

The new law will replace the British-era law.

Transparency International Bangladesh executive director Iftekharuzzaman said that the legal, policy, and institutional framework that would determine the business model in the private rail transport services sector of Bangladesh must follow global good practices.

‘From day one, it must specifically and effectively prevent a similar kind of hostage situation as in the road transport sector, where the market, including service quality, customer rights, price, and safety, is ruled by the ruthless impunity of powerful syndicates linked with politics and government,’ he said.

Otherwise, he said, the lofty idea of privatised railway services will simply push passengers and public interest from frying pans into the fire.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh president Ghulam Rahman demanded a feasibility study and public hearing on the draft before its enactment.

‘The private companies should pay an appropriate and rational amount of fee for using railway properties, and the companies should provide quality services,’ he said.

Ghulam Rahman added that regulatory authorities should fix the fare rates and keep alternative public services on the lines where the private ones would operate the services.

Civil engineering professor and former Accident Research Institute director Md Hadiuzzaman observed that this practice was available in India, China, Russia, and different European countries.

‘Private companies compete with each other, and they provide services to stay in the market,’ he added.

The railway officials submitted an updated version of the act to the railway ministry on January 23, 2019.

After several meetings, the draft was sent to the Cabinet Division for approval on September 4, 2023.

The division sent back the draft with some recommendations to the railway ministry on November 23, 2023.

Following the recommendations, the draft Bangladesh Railway Act, 2024, was prepared.

Railway officials said that they would send the draft to the Cabinet Division again soon with the necessary corrections.