On a bustling Tuesday morning in Bangladesh, the country's railway network faced severe disruption as a union strike brought services to a halt. This industrial action, spearheaded by railway staff demanding higher pensions and benefits, significantly affected the travel plans of tens of thousands and halted freight transport nationwide.
The Bangladesh Railway Running Staff and Workers Union, led by acting president Saidur Rahman, initiated the strike following fruitless negotiations with the interim government, which is currently headed by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus. The union has stated that the strike will persist until their demands are met, leaving the state-run railway system, a backbone of transportation for roughly 65 million passengers annually, in turmoil.
Bangladesh's railway sector is crucial to its densely populated 170 million residents, linking major cities and facilitating the country’s thriving export industry. The railway employs about 25,000 individuals and oversees an extensive network spreading over 36,000 kilometers (22,000 miles).
At Dhaka’s central hub, the Kamlapur Railway Station, hundreds of commuters were left disheartened as they were unaware of the sudden strike. Travelers faced long waits before retreating without the possibility of reaching their destinations. As railway adviser Shahadat Hossain visited the station, he was met with a chorus of disgruntled comments from the crowd.
At least 10 trains were scheduled to depart that morning, Hossain noted, pointing out that the station had endeavored to mitigate inconvenience by arranging alternative bus transportation for stranded passengers. However, this measure was met with mixed reactions.
A passenger, Mohammed Nadim, who had journeyed overnight from outside Dhaka, expressed his frustration and reluctance to substitute his train journey with a long bus ride to Cox's Bazar. I don’t want to travel this far by bus, Nadim remarked, emphasizing his desire to experience the comfort of train travel over the proposed non-air-conditioned buses.
The disruption has extended beyond passenger concerns, threatening the operational capacity of the vital garment industry in the southeastern city of Chattogram, as reported by Dhaka-based Jamuna TV. Chattogram, home to the largest port in Bangladesh, is integral to the export of goods valued at approximately $38 billion annually, destined mainly for the U.S. and EU markets.
Meanwhile, in Rajshahi, tensions boiled over with frustrated passengers vandalizing station property and turning their ire towards railway staff. Such incidents highlight the heightened tensions within the country's rail sectors and the struggle of the current administration to maintain order.
The interim government, headed by Yunus since August, has been under pressure to stabilize the nation following the upheaval leading to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's departure. With economic advisories cautioning slowed growth, the railway strike adds another layer of complexity to the government's restoration efforts amid pressing social and financial challenges.