The station super of Mymensingh railway junction has faced the wrath of passengers. The Dhaka-bound Haor Express from Mohonganj in Netrokona reached the Mymensingh railway junction around 10:30 am Tuesday. However, the loco master fled leaving the train there. The passengers went to the station super and protested the incident.
One of the passengers of the train named Shafiqul Islam said, “The train stopped after reaching the Mymensingh junction. I was heading towards the Airport railway station. I have my kids with me. However, the people in the station say that the train would not move any further. The driver has left. But we have not been informed by the authorities regarding this. We could have taken an alternative way if we had the information beforehand. Why are they saying this now, after reaching Mymensingh?”
The passengers started demonstrations upon hearing that the train would not go to Dhaka. They wanted the ticket money back.
Mymensingh rail station superintendent SM Nazmul Haque Khan said as many as 28 pairs of trains are now out of service due to the movement. Arrangements have been made to send the passengers to their destination on BRTC buses as per the directives issued by the government.
However, as of 1:00 pm, none of the passengers was sent to Dhaka through alternative routes. None of the passengers got the money that they had paid for the tickets. Efforts are underway to contact the higher authorities to solve the problem, station super Nazmul Haque said.
The railway running staff have been demanding pension including running allowances and gratuity. The Running Stuff and Worker Employee Union held a press conference and gave the government an ultimatum to fulfill their demands by 27 January and declared a strike from 28 January if the government does not accept their demand within that stipulated time.
The loco master, assistant loco master and travelling ticket examiners are known as the running staff.