Bangladesh Railway will only use an online platform to sell advanced tickets ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr festivities this year, starting from Apr 7.

The decision was announced by Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan on Tuesday.

“We won’t sell any tickets at the counters. All the tickets will be available online for sale,” he said while speaking to journalists after a meeting in Dhaka.

On Apr 7, the tickets for Apr 17 will be released, while the tickets for Apr 18, 19, 20, and 21 will be released on Apr 8, 9, 10 and 11, respectively.

The minister also confirmed that the railways would start selling return tickets for Eid holidaymakers from Apr 17.

However, passengers who could not buy tickets online will be allowed to purchase standing tickets from the counters at the stations, he said.

Sujan also said Bangladesh Railway would operate at least ten special trains for Eid holidaymakers this year.

Officials at the Bangladesh Ministry of Railways said that depending on the successful implementation of the online sales of tickets ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, the railways could decide to move its ticket sales operation entirely online.