As the standoff continues, passengers, railway staff, and the government face mounting pressure to find a solution. For now, the tracks remain silent as all of Bangladesh waits for a resolution to bring its trains back on schedule.

In an unprecedented nationwide strike, train drivers and their support staff in Bangladesh have halted operations, plunging the country’s railway system into chaos. Thousands of passengers, many unaware of the strike, have been left stranded at stations, grappling with uncertainty and frustration.

At Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka, Shefa Begum, a factory worker, arrived with her husband and children at 9:00 am, hoping to travel to Gazipur’s Tongi. “We were unaware of the strike. And now, we have been waiting at the station,” she told The Daily Star at 10:30 AM.

Nila Chowdhury, a housewife, shared a similar plight. Arriving at 9:45 AM to catch the Kishoreganj Express, she and her 11-year-old son were left stranded. “We heard about the strike on Facebook. We thought it wouldn’t be effective. But now we’re stuck,” she said. Although authorities arranged BRTC buses, Nila noted, “It didn’t match our destinations.”

Like Shefa and Nila, thousands of passengers across the country are enduring hardships due to the sudden suspension of train services. At Chattogram Railway Station, passengers were seen queuing for refunds as no trains departed throughout the morning. Aman Ullah, the chief inspector at the station, confirmed the cancellations, while Sohidul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of the Chattogram Railway Police Station, stated that additional forces had been deployed to maintain order.

Passengers Stranded

In Gazipur, hundreds of passengers were caught off guard at Joydebpur, Tongi, and Sreepur stations. Hanif Ali, the station master at Joydebpur, reported that many passengers were left scrambling to find alternative transport. Mezbah Uddin, one such passenger, lamented, “I had no choice but to take an expensive road journey to reach Dhaka.”

For garment worker Runa Begum, the strike disrupted her plans to attend urgent matters in Ishwardi, Pabna. Used to affordable train travel, she found herself at a loss. “I’ve never travelled by road before,” she said.

Karimonnesa, traveling from Maona to Gafargaon in Mymensingh, faced skyrocketing fares as autorickshaw drivers charged Tk 200-300 — well above normal rates. “It’s frustrating,” she said, echoing the sentiment of countless others.

Frustration, Violence

Tensions reached a boiling point at Rajshahi Railway Station, where angry passengers vandalised the premises after learning of the strike. The protests, which began around 7:00 am, resulted in damaged furniture and heightened tensions. Army personnel were deployed to restore order. Station Manager Moen Uddin confirmed that refunds were issued to affected passengers, but the disruption left a mark of frustration and discontent.

The strike has brought the country’s railway system to a standstill. In Sylhet, passengers faced similar challenges, with staff staging the strike over unresolved issues regarding pension benefits and gratuity allowances. In Khulna, station master Md Zakir Hossain reported that all trains — including those bound for Dhaka, Rajshahi, Benapole, and Nilphamari — were cancelled, leaving passengers stranded.

Sanowar Hossain, a farmer from Pabna, shared his struggle to return home after a month’s work in Khulna. Unable to afford bus fares, he returned to the station, hoping for a resolution. Sadikur Islam, traveling from Jashore, faced similar difficulties finding affordable transport.

The situation is dire across the northern and southern districts, where approximately 175 trains operate daily. Md Mamunul Islam, General Manager of BR’s Pakshey Division, confirmed that operations have been paralysed, affecting at least 65,000 passengers.

Roots of Strike

The strike stems from unresolved demands by the Bangladesh Railway Running Staff and Workers Employees Association. Chief among their concerns are post-retirement benefits, including pensions and gratuity linked to basic pay and running allowances. Despite prior negotiations, a meeting on Tuesday between railway authorities and union leaders ended without resolution.

Acting union president Saidur Rahman expressed frustration after the meeting, stating, “No consensus could be reached.” He indicated that the strike would continue until their demands are met.

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed highlighted the government’s financial constraints, noting that “reasonable demands” regarding overtime had already been addressed. However, he added, “If they say pensions, gratuities, and other allowances must be met immediately, it becomes challenging to balance our finances.”

Outlook and Uncertainty

The ministry of railways has advised passengers to seek refunds for cancelled trips. Station Master Md Anwar Hossain at Kamalapur confirmed that trains departing before midnight on Monday continued to their destinations, but no new departures were permitted. Despite the ministry’s assurances, passengers have criticised the lack of prior notification.

Gias, a passenger at Chattogram Railway Station, expressed frustration: “The authorities could have informed us via text message. Now we’re stranded.”

In Thakurgaon, Abu Tareq, Assistant Station Master, acknowledged that online ticket sales continued until the morning, further exacerbating passenger grievances. Farida Akhtar, who travelled 15 kilometres to the station only to find no trains, questioned the lack of communication: “Why weren’t online sales stopped if services were to be suspended?”

The increased demand for buses has led to higher fares, compounding the passengers’ woes. At Khulna’s Sonadanga Bus Terminal, fares surged beyond the reach of many travellers. “I couldn’t afford the fare, so I returned to the station,” said Sanowar Hossain.

The strike’s impact on Bangladesh Railway’s 350 daily passenger trains is severe, disrupting the lives of tens of thousands. With no resolution in sight, the indefinite nature of the work stoppage raises concerns about long-term economic and social consequences.