The 'Cattle Special Train' was launched to take the sacrificial animals from Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj to Dhaka. The traders did not respond to that train. The train was supposed to run for three days on the Chapainawabganj-Rajshahi route but no booking was made on the last day. As a result, the train could not go to Dhaka on the last day.
The train transported the sacrificial animals on July 17 and 18. Earlier this same train used to transport mangoes. At that time it was called 'Mango Special Train'. Although there was some response in mango transport, the railways did not get any response in animal transport. The government has lost about Tk. one lakh due to the train running for two days.
According to the relevant sources, on the day of inauguration, the train took 80 cows in 4 wagons from Chapainawabganj. The revenue of the railway was Tk. 47 thousand 320 rupees. On that day 20 cows went to Dhaka in 1 wagon from Rajshahi. The income of the railway was Tk. 11 thousand 830. Besides, 100 goats were taken in 1 wagon from Baral Bridge station on that day. The railway fare was Tk. 9 thousand 230 rupees. On the first day, the income from the railway train was Tk. 68,380.
On the second day, 17 July, 14 cows and 6 goats were taken from Rajshahi in a wagon. The rent is 11 thousand 830 rupees. On that day, 20 goats were taken in a wagon from Baghar Arani station in Rajshahi. The revenue of the railway was Tk. 11 thousand 830 rupees. On the second day, a total of 14 cows and 28 goats were transported and the revenue of the railway was Tk. 23,660. The total income in two days was Tk. 91,980 rupees. But once the train went from Chapainawabganj to Dhaka and back, the government had to spend about Taka one lakh. The cost in two days was Tk. two lakhs. As a result, the government lost Tak one lakh on the much hyped ‘Cattle Train’.
According to the farmers and traders, there were more sufferings in transporting animals by train. If you want to take an animal by train, first you have to take it to the station by motorized vehicle from home. Then you have to pick up the train from the station in Dhaka and go to the market. On the other hand, when an animal is picked up in a truck at home, it goes straight to the market. This is why there was no interest in the train. Moreover, if a farmer wanted on the train, he did not have the opportunity to take one or two animals. The farmer had to rent the whole wagon. So small number of cattle was loss for hiring a whole wagon. Some traders have hired a few wagons. But all these troubles. So there was no response on that train.
Mihir Kanti Guha, general manager, Western Railway, said the train could not run on the last day due to lack of bookings. He admitted that once the train went up and down, it cost around Tk. 1 lakh. The income has been half of it. As a result, the government has lost about Tk. one lakh while operating this train. However, in the interest of farmers and traders, the chief executive of the Western Railway sees this loss as positive.