Dhaka: Bangladesh Railway will start selling advance train tickets on 9 July for homebound people on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Railways minister Mujibul Haque announced the decision at a press briefing at Railway Bhaban on Sunday.

The tickets for 13 July will be available on 9 July and that for 14 July will be sold on 10 July, tickets for 15 July will be sold on 11 July, tickets for 16 July on 12 July and tickets for 17 July will be available on 13 July, the minister said.

The return tickets for the journey of 20 July to 24 July will be sold on 16 July to 20 July which will be available at Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Lalmonirhat stations, Mujibul Haque added.

He also said a total of five pairs of trains will run on four routes three days before the Eid and seven days after the Eid and two pairs of trains will be available on the eid day on Bhairab-Kishoreganj-Bhairab and Mymensingh-Kishoreganj-Mymensingh routes for the devotees who will attend eid prayers at Sholakia Eidgah.

Some 169 coaches will be added to the existing ones while a total of 225 locomotives will be on operation across the country ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, he said.

There will be no off-day for inter-city trains from 13 July, Mujibul Haque said.

The minister also said authorities concerned have been asked to maintain train schedules during the period, while law enforcing agencies will be deployed at important railway stations apart from mobile courts to check ticket black marketing.