Dhaka, May 12 -- The High Court (HC) has directed the authorities to allocate a dedicated compartment for women on every passenger train ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha, following a petition that cited a century-old railway law.

The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Asif Hasan passed the order on Tuesday after hearing a petition filed to ease the travel woes of female passengers during the holiday rush.

Lawyer Md Ajmal Hossain Khokon, who represented the petitioner, argued that although the 1890 Railway Act mandates separate sections for women in trains, the provision has largely remained ignored.

"Under Section 64 of the Railway Act of 1890, every train must have a compartment reserved for female passengers. For trains travelling m...