Locals block rail tracks demanding Drutojan Express stop at Panchagarh

Residents of Panchagarh's Atwari upazila blocked railway tracks at Kismat Railway Station for two hours, demanding the reinstatement of the stop for the intercity train, Drutojan Express, at the station.

Over 200 locals gathered on the railway track around 6:15am, halting the Santahar-bound Dolonchapa Express, which departed from Panchagarh.

They used a red coloured flag to stop the train and demand the reinstatement of the spot of Dhrutojan Express that runs between Panchagarh and Dhaka.

Train services on Panchagarh-Parbatipur route were disrupted for nearly two hours, -- from 6:21am to 8:15am -- due to the blockade, said Md Asaduzzaman, station master of Kismat Railway Station.

Upon receiving the news, Shafiul Mazlubin Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Atwari, accompanied by local police, intervened to control the situation.

Following the negotiations, the Dolonchapa Express resumed its journey at around 8:15am, the station master said.

According to railway officials and local sources, the Drutojan Express had regularly stopped at Kismat Railway Station.

However, the railway authorities announced that from tomorrow the train would no longer halt at the station, citing issues such as ticketless passengers boarding the train.

This decision has raised concerns among residents of Boda and Atwari upazilas, who frequently use the station to travel to Dhaka and other parts of the country.

Sajjad Selim, a local resident, said, "Since the inception of Drutojan Express in 2017, it has stopped at this station. The sudden decision to withdraw the stop citing reasons like ticketless passengers is unjustified. It will cause severe inconvenience to us."

The protesters not only demanded the restoration of the stop but also called for increased staffing at the station and the construction of a paved road adjacent to the station.

The blockade also delayed the departure of the Drutojan Express from Panchagarh's Bir Muktijoddha Sirajul Islam Railway Station by about an hour, as the train was scheduled to leave at 7:20am, the station master added.