Section 64 of the Railway Act, 1890 mandates a reserved compartment for women on every train.
File photo of the High Court division building of the Supreme Court in Dhaka. Photo: Collected
“>
File photo of the High Court division building of the Supreme Court in Dhaka. Photo: Collected
The High Court has directed authorities to allocate a designated compartment for female passengers on every passenger train during the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha, in line with existing legal provisions.
The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Asif Hasan issued the order today (12 May), following the hearing of a supplementary petition.
Advocate Md Ajmal Hossain Khokon represented the petitioners before the court.
According to the lawyer, Section 64 of the Railway Act, 1890 mandates a reserved compartment for women on every train. For trains travelling more than 50 miles, the law also requires an attached toilet facility for the compartment.
He said Section 119 of the law provides for penalties against anyone entering the women’s compartment without permission.
The writ petition was originally filed in 2021 by lawyer Momtaz Parveen over the non-implementation of the legal provisions.
Following the petition, the High Court on 10 March issued a rule asking why authorities should not be directed to reserve a separate compartment for female passengers on all passenger trains in accordance with the law.
The latest order came after a supplementary application was filed in the pending rule, seeking relief for women travellers during Eid.
Ajmal said the court issued the directive as the legal provision for separate compartments for women has long remained unimplemented, causing difficulties for female passengers, especially during the Eid travel rush.
About The Author
