Composition: A Railway Station

A railway station is a place where trains stop for passengers to get on and off. The railway station has one or more than one platform. At a small station there is only one platform and at a large station there are two or more platforms. Trains stop alongside the platform so that passengers can get on and off (উঠা এবং নামা). Two or more buildings which accommodate (জায়গা দেওয়া) different offices stand along the other side of the platform. The station master is in charge of a station. If the station is small, he has to do everything except the menial work. The station master of a big station always has to remain busy performing (সম্পন্ন করা) his duties. He has to control his large staff and supervise their work with care.

There is a booking office at every railway station. Tickets are sold to the passengers in a booking office. At a small railway station tickets are sold in the station master’s room. At a large station the hooking office is computerized and provided with modern facilities (সুবিধা). Passengers can book tickets in advance (অগ্রিম). Nowadays (আজকাল), people have to stand in queues (সারি) in front of the ticket counters to buy tickets. They hustle (ধাক্কা মারা) and bustle (ব্যস্ততার সাথে চলাফেরা করা) and push each other to buy tickets. Pickpockets (পকেটমার) take this opportunity (সুযোগ) and try to steal money and mobile sets from the passengers’ pockets.

In all big stations there are waiting rooms for all classes of passengers. The waiting rooms for the third-class passengers are of a low standard. But the waiting rooms for the second- and first-class passengers are of a high standard. In some big stations there are separate waiting rooms for the women passengers.

A railway station becomes the scene of busy and noisy (কোলাহলময়) activities as soon as a train arrives. The passengers, the coolies, the railway people and the vendors become busy doing their respective work.

A railway station remains calm and quiet (শান্ত) when there is no train to arrive or depart. But the shops and tea stalls at a big railway station remain open throughout the day and the night. A railway station is indeed an important place. The railway authorities should not allow the street urchins (দুষ্ট বালক/বালিকা) the vagabonds and the beggars to take shelter (আশ্রয়) on the railway platforms.