Some passengers who are not quite liking metro rail

Many people were overjoyed as the country entered a new era of transport with the launch of the metro rail, but there were some Bangladeshis who were crushed by the advent of the state-of-the-art transport service.

Chief among them are the ones who found creative ways to get on intercity and inter-district trains without tickets. The automated gates at every metro rail station in the capital means that the days of riding the train without any ticket are long gone.

"You know, I entered the Agargaon station and, as normal, I was making my way to the platform without buying a ticket," said Magna Carter, a resident of the capital.

"I tried telling the gate, that just wouldn't open by the way, that I am a minister's nephew's friend's auntie's brother's son. The gate still wouldn't open, and I was forced to walk away."

Then there are the blade aficionados, who will be hurt by metro rail. The seats are made of hard plastic, not foam, leather or rexine. So, passengers cannot cut holes into the seats, to show future passengers that someone with a blade who had nothing better to do than to cut slits into seats, was there.

Metro rail will also be very difficult for those who must, just must, use the toilets on trains. There are very strong rules against littering inside the trains or stations. Therefore, if anyone thinks of urinating or doing the other thing on the train, metro rail is not for them.

"I had to keep my paan in my mouth for the entire ride from Pallabi to Shewrapara," Thuthu Mia said.

"I tried telling the gate, that just wouldn't open by the way, that I am a minister's nephew's friend's auntie's brother's son. The gate still wouldn't open, and I was forced to walk away."

"I got on the train and saw that we were not allowed to eat anything, and worse still, not allowed to spit, inside the bogies. There was also a police officer in the train, so I kept the paan in my mouth the entire time.

"I nearly choked, my eyes were watering, and once I left the station people thought I was bleeding from the mouth."

There were also reports of people trying to get on the roof of the train, but police had to shout at them not to as the train was electric and anyone on the roof ran the risk of electrocution. Also, aesthetics.

Satireday visited Agargaon station and found another type of passenger this service is not good for. Another man said he bought a ticket from Uttara North Station to Pallabi.

"The man at the counter [at Uttara North] asked me where I wanted to go, and I said Pallabi, knowing that I would really travel to Agargaon. I mean, who pays the full fare?

"But, when I got down in Agargaon, instead of station staffers staring at people going by, there were automated gates. Long story short, I ended up paying a fine. Might as well have taken a bus."

When asked what business he had in Agargaon, the guy said, "Oh nothing, just wanted to ride the metro."