POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Janu 28, 2025 : The railway running staff, officials and employees of the railway have suspended rail services in Bangladesh. As a result, rail services across the country have been suspended. Passengers are angry with the suffering.
As part of the strike, the running staff did not board the scheduled trains after 12 midnight on Tuesday. As a result, no train left the starting station.
The running staff have various demands, including pension by adding running allowance to the basic salary. Passengers have been suffering due to the suspension of scheduled trains.
Although the Railway Ministry has called for the withdrawal of the program to keep train services normal, the Railway Running Staff and Workers’ Employees’ Association is adamant in fulfilling its demands.
It is worth noting that about 3 lakh passengers travel by train every day across the country and many tickets are sold in advance.
Angry passengers vandalized the station because the train did not leave. The chairs for passengers to sit at the station were vandalized. At that time, angry passengers smashed and vandalized the doors of various rooms inside the station.
The Titumir Express train was scheduled to leave Rajshahi Railway Station for Chilahati at 6:20 am on Tuesday (January 28). However, the passengers became angry when the train did not leave due to the strike of the railway staff.
They beat up an aggrieved employee and detained two staff members and demanded that the train movement be normalized. Although discussions are underway to resolve the stalemate, it is known that it has not been fruitful so far. Railway officials said that despite accepting the demands of the running staff of Bangladesh Railway to a large extent, they have not withdrawn from their previously scheduled program. That is why rail movement is being disrupted today. Bangladesh Railway has ordered that the money for tickets purchased in advance should the railway journey be refunded.
On Tuesday afternoon, Railways Ministry Secretary Md. Fahimul Islam held a meeting with the running staff to withdraw from the strike. BNP Chairperson’s Special Assistant and Nationalist Workers’ Party Coordinator Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas was present at the meeting. But the coaching staff left as no solution was reached in the meeting.
The meeting was held at around 1:30 pm in the VIP room of Dhaka Railway Station. But at around 2:45 pm, the running staff representative Saidus Rahman left without any decision.
Later, he told reporters, we had a long meeting with the Railway Secretary-Director General. However, I left during the meeting as we could not reach any decision. We will discuss the matter with our central leaders who are there. However, we are adamant about our strike. Rail services will remain closed. The Railways Secretary also told Ganashakti a while ago that communication is being made with the running staff.
Meanwhile, students of seven colleges have temporarily called off their strike, but they are still demanding the withdrawal of the OC of Nilkhet police station. They withdrew the program after assuring that their demands would be accepted in a meeting with Home Affairs Advisor Major General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury at the Secretariat on Tuesday (January 28). Information and Broadcasting Advisor Nahid Islam was also present at the meeting.
After the meeting, Dhaka College student Mainul Islam, representing the students, told reporters that the Dhaka University authorities will consider the demand for the resignation of the Deputy Vice Chancellor. We are withdrawing our ultimatum. Because most of our six-point demands have been heard by the Home Affairs Advisor and the concerned parties.
He said that a decision has already been made to cancel the affiliation of seven colleges from Dhaka University and it is under process. This was our first and main demand. If Deputy Vice Chancellor Mamun Ahmed had apologized quickly, this situation would not have arisen. Since the university authorities have assured us that they will consider our demands, we have withdrawn the program.
On the other hand, independent Ebtedayi Madrasa teachers are also holding a sit-in program in the Shahbagh area on Tuesday demanding nationalization. This marks the tenth day of their program.
The protesting teachers have said that they will not leave the road until their demands are met.
They were seen taking a stand in front of the Fine Arts Department of Dhaka University around 12 noon on Tuesday.
Abdur Rahman, who came from Mymensingh, told Ganashakti, “We have one point, one demand – nationalization. We will not go until our demands are met. We have not been paid any salary for the last 40 years. We are in great distress. That is why we have been forced to stand on the road.”
Independent Ebtedayi Madrasa teacher Saifullah Helal, who came from Lakshmipur, said that they want to return home after achieving their demands.
Traffic is blocked on the road from TSC to Shahbagh due to the road blockade.
