Some unscrupulous staff of Bangladesh Railway are collecting money illegally from passengers travelling without tickets in intercity and container trains. The railway staff involved in this racket is allegedly helped by the Railway Police and Traffic Inspector Commercial (TIC), who share the money, depriving the government of a sizable amount of revenue, said the convener of the Khulna Nagorik Samaj, advocate AFM Mohsin. Some passengers have even lodged complaints with the concerned authorities, but they have refused to take any action, he added.  
Some dishonest passengers taking advantage of the situation, do not purchase tickets while boarding the trains. After they board the train, the travelling attendants approach them, telling them not to buy tickets. Instead, they take money from the passengers, ensuring a hassle-free journey to their destination. What they charge ticket-less passengers is often less than the actual fare, causing the railways to bleed financially.
Despite limitations, trains are still a popular mode of transport as people find them safe and comfortable for long-distance journeys, saving time and money. Besides, a huge quantity of agricultural products, vegetables and food grains produced in the region are supplied to the capital by railways.
According to the Khulna Railway Station Master, Kazi Amirul Islam, at least 10  intercity passenger and container trains including Nakshikatha Express (Khulna-Goalando), Simanto Express (Khulna-Syedpur), Chitra Express (Khulna-Dhaka), Kapotakkho Express (Khulna-Rajshahi), Benapole-bound commuter (Khulna-Benapole), Rupsha Express (Khulna-Syedpur), Rocket Mail (Khulna-Parbotipur), Mohananda Express (Khulna-Chapainawabganj-Rohonpur), Sagordari Express (Khulna-Rajshahi), Sundarban Express (Khulna-Dhaka) ply on seven routes on an average every day. These trains are quite popular with passengers.
Since the number of passengers is almost three times than the number of available seats, racketeers are taking advantage of the situation.
Anis Ahmed, a government employee working in Dhaka, alleged that some locals have created an artificial crisis of tickets in collusion with a section of railway staff.
Taking advantage of the crisis, racketeers are minting money, since passengers often cannot buy tickets before boarding trains going to places such as Rajshahi, Dhaka, Saiyedpur, Benapole, Goalando, Parboti-pur and Chapainawabganj among other places. Due to massive overcrowding, the TTE cannot check the tickets of all passengers. At times, these trains are so overcrowded that people end up standing inside the bathrooms. Islam said that this malpractice on part of intercity train attendants is causing a heavy damage to the railways. When contacted, Senior Sub-Assistant Engineer (Way) Khulna area, Sukumar Biswas, said, “Attendants are entitled to collect money from passengers travelling without tickets, but they must give receipts for it to the commuters. We have received complaints against some attendants on few occasions. But we cannot change the mentality of dishonest people.”