How these coaches formed: This is not a new idea. It is a legal obligation long overdue, and it is finally being enforced. Section 64 of the Railway Act 1890 stipulates a women-only compartment on every train. For trains travelling more than 50 miles, the law also requires a toilet facility attached to the compartment. Section 119 of the same law states that anyone entering the women’s compartment without permission shall be punished.
These provisions have been on the books for well over a century, but have never been used. Advocate Md Ajmal Hossain Khokon, who filed the petition with the court, said, “The Railway Act has provisions of reserving special coaches for women, but those provisions were not implemented in practice.
The High Court division bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Ashif Hasan asked the railway authorities to arrange special coaches for women in every passenger train during the journey of Eid-ul-Azha. The move was also taken on the instructions of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The Routes: Which trains have women-only carriages?
At present, the special coaches have been added to two intercity services – the Dhaka-Sylhet-Dhaka route of Jayantika Express, and the non-stop Dhaka-Chattogram-Dhaka route of Sonar Bangla Express.
These are two of the busiest intercity corridors in Bangladesh during the Eid holiday season, carrying huge volumes of passengers.
The Start: How It All Began
The service was inaugurated by Bangladesh Railway Director General Md Afzal Hossain at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka, by seeing off women passengers travelling on the special coach attached to the Jayantika Express. Additional Director General (Operations) Md Nazmul Hasan, General Manager (East) Md Shuboktagin and Dhaka Divisional Railway Manager ABM Kamruzzaman were also present. The officials greeted the passengers and exchanged Eid greetings with them.
The women passengers were pleased with the arrangement and thanked the government for the special initiative.
The special service will be extended till Wednesday before Eid.
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4 Rules for reserving the women-only coaches
Rule 1 – Book via the official portal online. Only real passengers will be able to access the seats, as passengers need to visit the official eticket.railway.gov.bd portal and provide their mobile number and National ID (NID) number for verification.
Rule 2 – Book Early, Seats Are Hard to Get. The booking window opens 10 days prior to departure at 8:00 AM. Seats on popular routes are taken up within hours of going on sale — minutes, sometimes, during Eid.
Rule 3 — Pay Through Approved Channels Once you select your train and seats, make the payment through mobile banking (bKash, Nagad or Rocket) or credit/debit cards. Always keep a printed or digital copy of your e-ticket and NID with you during the journey for verification.
Rule 4 – No Entry for Male Passengers Section 119 of the Railway Act lays down penalties for any person who enters the women’s compartment without permission — accordingly, male passengers caught in these coaches are liable to be prosecuted.
Why This Is Important Beyond The Eid Rush
The introduction of these coaches is a milestone achievement for the safety of women in public transportation in Bangladesh. The High Court’s effort to implement a 136-year-old law — and the government’s compliance ahead of one of the country’s busiest travel periods — suggests reserved, secure travel for women may soon be a permanent feature of Bangladesh Railway, not just a festival-time measure.
Summary
Acting on both a High Court directive and the Prime Minister’s order, Bangladesh Railway has introduced special women-only coaches on the Dhaka–Sylhet and Dhaka–Chattogram routes for Eid-ul-Azha 2026. The initiative, decades in the making under a long-ignored railway law, aims to ensure safer, more comfortable travel for women during the festival rush.
