Suspending TTE on wife's call was inappropriate: Info minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the suspension of a Bangladesh Railway (BR) ticket examiner (TTE) following the phone call of railway minister's wife was inappropriate.

However, the minister defended Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan and said, "It is true that the railway minister didn't know the ticketless passengers who claimed to be his so-called relatives".

While speaking at an event at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) auditorium on Sunday, the information minister also said that Awami League wants an inclusive election, citing the discussions of the party's working committee meeting yesterday.

At the time, Hasan Mahmud once again trashed the Reporters Sans Frontieres' (RSF) report on Bangladesh's declining status on the World Press Freedom Index as "malicious".

"The report makes no sense as Bangladesh was placed behind Afghanistan in terms of press freedom," he added.

Meanwhile, the suspension order issued against the travel ticket examiner (TTE) Shafiqul Islam has been revoked, Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan said today.

He made the disclosure to the reporters at Rail Bhaban on Sunday.

"A show-cause letter will also be sent to Pakshey divisional commercial officer (DCO)," he added. 

The TTE's suspension order came on Friday following his alleged misbehaviour with and fining three passengers, who were traveling ticketless and introduced themselves as relatives of the railways minister.

A Prothom Alo report on the incident claimed the TTE was indeed suspended after a phone call from railway minister's wife.

However, Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan has said that he is not related to the passengers who were recently fined by a Bangladesh Railway (BR) ticket examiner (TTE) for travelling ticketless. 

"I have no relationship with them. Someone may have tried to take advantage by using my name," he said while responding to reporters following the suspension of the TTE on Saturday.

The incident drew widespread criticism and many demanded resignation of the rail minister.