Railway staff have been ordered to enforce the total ban on train roof travel issued by the Bangladesh High Court.
"After today's High Court order, trains cannot carry any additional passengers on the roof from now on," Deputy Attorney General Amin Uddin Manik told AFP, adding that action could be taken against railway officials in the event of violations.
Two High Court judges, Nazrul Islam Talukder and Khizir Hayat, issued the order as part of a campaign to crack down on corruption at Bangladesh Railway, the state-owned railway company.
In Bangladesh, the most destitute have the habit of climbing on the roofs of the wagons to travel for free or when the trains are crowded, often during the major Muslim holidays that tens of millions of people traditionally return to celebrate in their villages.
Travelers are regularly killed by falling or struck by overhanging tree branches or low bridges on the country's 3,600 kilometer rail network.
Railway staff would accept bribes to turn a blind eye to rooftop access.
Judge Talukder reiterated that the trains were public goods and not ways to earn extra money.
"Those who travel on the roof or standing, don't they pay? It's a form of corruption", concluded the judge in court, quoted by the daily Jugantor.
