Bangladesh Railway is going to implement a new system as national ID card will be required for purchasing train tickets.

Railway Ministry approved a proposal on Monday (July 27) which makes it mandatory to show national identity card (NID) while purchasing train tickets. People without NID will not be able to ride trains according to the new regulation which is coming into effect from October this year.

The initiative has been taken to stop the sale of railway tickets on the black market and to ensure the identity of passengers, ministry sources said.

Passengers will have to register online with their NID for buying tickets. Railway Ministry will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Election Commission in August 2020.

Ticket checkers will match the name and identity of the passenger with the help of tabs or android phones. People who do not have NID can buy train tickets with their registered ID number which is found on Election Commission's website.

Railway Ministry plans to enable passengers below 16 years old to buy train tickets with their birth certificates. If a passenger wants to cancel his trip, he can do so online.

As a result, if the identity cannot be confirmed through national identity card, then rail travel will not be possible.

Under the new plan, a passenger must register himself to get the rail tickets.