Railway Affairs Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan has urged railway running staff to call off their strike, assuring them that discussions with the Finance Division are ongoing to address their demands.
“Demands are understandable, but holding passengers hostage by halting train services is regrettable,” he said while talking to reporters at Kamalapur Railway Station in the capital on Tuesday morning.
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Fouzul Kabir said that the Railway Ministry does not have the authority to resolve the issue independently. “The matter lies with the Finance Division, and discussions are in progress. We are confident a resolution will be reached soon.”
The strike, initiated by railway running staff from 12 PM on Monday (Jan 27), has paralysed train operations nationwide.
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On Tuesday morning, Kamalapur Railway Station demonstrated an unusual scene of silence, with the normally bustling ticket counters eerily quiet.
Passengers, many unaware of the strike, arrived at the station only to face immense difficulties. Families travelling to destinations such as Mymensingh, Netrokona, Rajshahi and Cox’s Bazar were left stranded in the cold winter morning.
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Several travellers expressed their frustration, highlighting the lack of prior communication about the disruption. “We had no idea the trains wouldn’t run. Now we are stuck here with no alternative arrangements,” one passenger lamented.