Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan on Monday said the number of vacancies in the railways is 22,604.

The information was given in response to a tabled question from ruling party lawmaker elected from Noakhali Mamunur Rashid Kiran.

The minister said the total number of vacant posts in the railways is 22,604.  Of these, 201 is first class, 1601 is second class, 8565 is third class and 12,328 is fourth class.

The minister said that out of these vacancies, the ministry has sent demand to the PSC for 14 first class and 554 second class posts.

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Clearance for 7351 posts for third and fourth class has been given.

Of these, job vacancies for 441 posts of third class and 2812 posts of fourth class have been given.  The recruitment test for ALM Grade-2 and Guard Grade 2 posts will be held on June 18.

In response to another question from ruling party lawmaker elected from Dhaka Haji Selim's question, the railway minister  said that the size of unused land of the railway is 10,843.15 hectares. 

Initiatives have been taken to bring these unused lands under fencing, he said.

The minister said that some unused lands of the railways and vacant lands in residential areas are illegally occupied.

“These illegal occupants will be evicted gradually, every month eviction drive is being conducted,” the minister said.

Also read: Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar train service to open by June, 2023: Railways Minister

Replying to a question by Workers Party lawmaker in reserved women seat Begum Lutfun Nesa Khan, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that dope test has been made compulsory in the case of issue and renewal of professional driving license from January 30, 2022. 

“License is not being renewed or issued if the dope test report is positive or has negative comments.”

 Quader, in reply to a question from ruling party lawmaker elected from Dhaka Benazir Ahmed said that till now (May 2022) the toll collection of Bangabandhu Bridge is Tk. 7,135.65 crore and toll collection of Muktarpur Bridge is Tk 183.81 crore.

Responding to a question from ruling party MP elected from Chattogram M Abdul Latif,  Quader said that according to the Dhaka Urban Transport Network Development Study (DHUTS) report (2010), there is 10.48 percent roads in the two city corporations of Dhaka. 

Plans have been taken to build a well-connected inner ring road around the Dhaka metropolis, he added.