Agitated passengers vandalise Rajshahi railway station, take refund for tickets

As train services are suspended across the country due to a strike of railway running staff, agitated passengers have vandalised Rajshahi Railway Station. Later, they took refunds for their tickets before leaving the railway station.

Several hundred passengers demonstrated and vandalised the station between 7:00 am and 8:00 am today, Tuesday.

The agitated passengers vandalised chairs and tables in a room of travelling ticket examiners (TTE) and some chairs kept at the station as the doors of the other rooms were locked.

Later, the army arrived and brought the situation under control. The passengers left after getting refunds for their tickets.

Rajshahi railway station manager Moin Uddin told Prothom Alo around 9:00 am, “Those who had bought their tickets from the counter have been given a refund from the counter. And those who bought tickets online have been given refunds through mobile banking. Army personnel are stationed at the station and the situation is under control now.”

Moin Uddin added that train services have been suspended since midnight on Monday because of the strike. There was no train scheduled to leave Rajshahi from midnight till early this morning. 

However, there were six trains bound for different destinations scheduled from early morning till 9:00 am. These trains did not leave the station. Meanwhile, the Padma Express train that left Dhaka for Rajshahi Monday night, reached its destination earlier in the morning.

Railway running staff started a strike at midnight on Monday as the crisis revolving around their demand of providing pensions, gratuities, and running allowances in addition to basic salaries did not get resolved. 

This has disrupted train operations throughout the country. The running staff includes guards, train drivers (loco master), assistant drivers, and ticket inspectors (TTE).

Convener of the Rajshahi Running Staff Oikya Parishad, Aminul Islam said, “As part of the programme announced by the central committee, train operation is suspended in Rajshahi as well. The programme will continue until our rights are restored. The trains will run again if the central committee withdraws the strike.”

Some passengers were still waiting at the station around 10:00 am today. They were waiting there hoping to see the crisis get resolved.

Nargis Begum, 40, had come to Rajshahi from Darshana for treatment with her husband and children. They had been waiting for the train since morning. They had bought tickets for the Sagardari Express train.

Another passenger named Abdul Mannan, 64, who came from Rajbari district, said that he had come to Rajshahi the previous day for some personal tasks. He had been waiting at the station since morning. He had bought a ticket for the Madhumati Express train.

Meanwhile, Moniruddin, 75, of Chuadanga district had been sitting at the station with his wife since 5:00 am today.

He said that he had come to Rajshahi to see a physician. He had bought a return ticket on his way to Rajshahi. Now he’s left to sit at the station helplessly.