Protesters hold Rajbari-bound train at Faridpur station

Cardioid Railway station.

Faridpur, Jun 6 - Faridpur people interrupted the journey of Rajbari-bound ‘Chandana Commuter Train’ by preventing it from passing through Faridpur station on Wednesday night for over half an hour, for not making a stopover there as per the assurance of the Railways Minister.

Locals alleged that the minister assured them of making a stopover of the commuter train in the station around one month back in the face of their movement.

As the commuter trains haven’t been making stopovers in the station since the beginning of June, the protesters kept the train detained for 40 minutes from 10pm upon its arrival in the station after leaving Dhaka.

Md Hasanuzzaman, Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali police station in Faridpur, said the protesters let the train go after being assured of measures to address the issue would be taken.

Local Nadim Itu, one of the protesters, said two commuter trains have been moving on Dhaka-Rajbari rail track through Bhanga upazila of Faridpur.

Expressing resentment, he said no stopover was designed for the Faridpur station leaving locals deprived of going to Dhaka by train.

He said they staged movements several times including on May 5 and May 11 to press home their demands.

Following the movement, Railways Minister Md Zillur Rahman assured them of launching a stopover in the station from the beginning of June, he said.

The protester threatened they would continue a non-stop movement if the initiative wasn’t taken for the stoppage soon.

According to Bangladesh Railway, currently four trains-Benapole Express, Sundarbans Express, Rajshahi Express and Nakshikantha Express are operating via Bhanga and all have stoppages at the Faridpur station. - UNB