Despite Anti-India Protests, Metro Rail Tickets Are Being Printed in India

Staff Correspondent

As BNP’s anti-India Long March dominates discussions across the country, and leaders are stoking anti-India sentiment by burning Indian goods, it has come to light that Metro rail tickets are being printed in India.

To address the shortage of single-journey tickets for the metro, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has taken the initiative to purchase 400,000 new tickets. These tickets are being printed in India.

The tickets are being produced as part of a joint effort between Japan, Thailand, and India. While Japan is the primary supplier of the tickets, the cards are being printed in India. The first batch of 20,000 tickets will arrive from India by the end of December, with the remaining tickets being delivered in phases.

DMTCL’s Managing Director, Mohammad Abdur Rouf, stated that a shipment of 20,000 tickets would leave India on December 16 and arrive by the end of the month. He noted that some time is required for the cards to reach the trains but assured that they would be available by the end of the month. He also mentioned that the service could operate smoothly with at least 50,000 single-journey tickets, but currently, there are only 40,000 cards available, leading to a shortage.

It is reported that after the violent attack on the metro stations by students and the public on August 5, a large number of cards and tickets were destroyed, with many being burned and damaged.

Regarding the ticket design, the Managing Director explained that there were discussions about the card’s design, but the new cards would not feature a new design; only the color would change. The single-journey tickets will be colored “red” to make them easily identifiable.

In Dhaka, two types of tickets are issued for metro passengers. One is the MRT Pass or Rapid Pass, which can be used as long as the balance lasts, and the card can be kept. The other is the single-journey ticket, which passengers can purchase immediately at the station for their trip. After reaching their destination, passengers must return the ticket when exiting the station.

Amid the nationwide anti-India movement, which has seen acts such as the desecration of the Indian flag, anti-India slogans, and street protests, political leaders have made provocative statements. This has sparked a reciprocal anti-Bangladesh demonstration in India. Tensions have been rising between the two countries, coinciding with BNP’s Long March towards Agartala.