Train tickets from Sylhet are disappearing within minutes of being released online, leaving many passengers unable to secure seats. Allegations that tickets are later being sold at inflated prices have added to growing frustration among passengers.

The issue has now reached the court, with a senior judicial magistrate in Sylhet initiating a case on suspicion of ticket hoarding and black-market sales. The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Sylhet, has been ordered to investigate the case.

The case was initiated by Senior Judicial Magistrate Abdullah Al Noman after he took note of complaints and the unusually rapid sale of tickets for several intercity trains operating from Sylhet to Dhaka and Chattogram.

The trains include Upaban, Kalni, Joyontika and Parabat Express on the Dhaka route, and Paharika and Udayan Express on the Chattogram route.

According to the case documents, passengers have long been expressing their frustration on social media over the shortage of tickets. A major complaint is that tickets disappear only a few minutes after being made available online.

Passengers travelling from stations including Shaistaganj, Sreemangal, Kulaura and Sylhet have also raised questions over why seats become unavailable so quickly after sales begin. Some passengers have alleged that tickets are later available through other channels at higher prices.

As the tickets are sold online, officials concerned often point to the online system as the explanation. But questions remain over the entire ticketing process, including ticket allocation, the unusually rapid disappearance of tickets and allegations of subsequent resale at higher prices.

The court examined the railway's official online ticketing platform after the issue came to its attention. The court found that tickets for particular travel dates were being sold out within minutes of being released, raising questions about how such a large number of tickets could be sold in such a short time.

The case documents state that a group, possibly with the assistance of some people involved in the ticket distribution process, may be obtaining tickets rapidly and later selling them to passengers at higher prices. The court has ordered the matter to be investigated.

The suspected activities, if established, could cause serious inconvenience to ordinary passengers and adversely affect the development of Sylhet's tourism industry, according to the case documents.

The magistrate subsequently filed Miscellaneous Case No 01/2026 on his own initiative, suspecting that offences such as ticket hoarding and black-market trading may have taken place.

The court directed the PBI superintendent in Sylhet to investigate the case.

The case documents reached the PBI Sylhet office on Wednesday (October 7). Sub-Inspector Abdul Ahad has been assigned to investigate the case. He confirmed that he is conducting the investigation initiated by the court.

The investigation will examine the online ticketing process, why tickets are sold out so quickly, whether tickets are being hoarded and whether any individual or group is involved in selling tickets at higher prices.

It will also look into whether there has been any irregularity, collusion or direct or indirect assistance in the ticket-selling process at different stations in the Sylhet region.

Meanwhile, Nurul Islam, manager of Sylhet Railway Station, said railway tickets are purchased online, although some passengers also buy tickets from counters.

The station authorities have no involvement in the ticket-selling process,” he said.

As the case is still under investigation, no individual or group has been established as being involved in ticket black marketing or hoarding. However, if the investigation finds direct or indirect involvement of anyone, the matter may lead to legal action.

Passengers who regularly travel by train are now waiting for the outcome of the PBI investigation. They hope the investigation will uncover what lies behind the rapid disappearance of tickets and help end the uncertainty surrounding alleged ticket black marketing.

For passengers, the key question remains Where do the tickets go within minutes of being released online? The PBI investigation may now provide the answer—and determine whether anyone has been exploiting the ticketing system at the expense of ordinary passengers.