Angry passengers vandalize Rajshahi railway station

Running staff have stopped train services in Rajshahi, like the rest of the country, demanding the cancellation of the decision to exclude mileage allowance from pension. No train has left the station since Tuesday morning. Angry passengers vandalized the station chairs.

According to Rajshahi Railway Station information, 18 pairs of trains leave Rajshahi Railway Station every day. However, no train has left since this morning. All types of trains including local, intercity, mail are closed today. Hundreds of people have been waiting since morning. The sudden suspension of train services has put ordinary people and office-going passengers in trouble.

Meanwhile, passengers who reached the station were angry after seeing the trains closed. They said that the railway authorities knew about their program in advance, so why did they release tickets? Passengers expressed their anger at the lack of prior instructions regarding the suspension of trains. How logical is it to hold passengers or ordinary citizens hostage to enforce their demands, the passengers asked.

Aminul Islam, a passenger of the Silk City train from Rajshahi to Dhaka, said, “I came to the station with great difficulty in the morning in the middle of winter and found that the train was not running. I had to go to Dhaka for urgent work, so I had bought the ticket. I bought the ticket tonight. If they knew about this program, why didn’t they stop the tickets? When I saw the ticket at night, I thought the train would run, so I came here with the ticket. Now I am in agony.”

Noorani Begum is standing at the station. She said, “There will be a demand movement. There is a rule for everything. But how logical is it to hold passengers hostage for their demands? This is not right at all.”

Meanwhile, the police and the army have been deployed at Rajshahi Railway Station since morning to avoid any kind of chaos, including passenger safety.

Rajshahi Railway Station authorities are announcing on the microphone that those who bought tickets online will get a refund equal to the value of the ticket online. Railway officials also mentioned that no money will be deducted.

Rajshahi Railway Station Manager Abul Kalam Azad said, all trains have been closed since morning. Train services will resume if the running demands are met or the protest is withdrawn. However, they will remain closed for now.

He said, “Passengers who bought tickets online will get a refund of their online money. In addition, those who bought tickets at the counter will get a refund of the equivalent amount at the counter.”

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