STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Thousands of railway passengers suffered as train staffers continued their nationwide strike yesterday.

After negotiations between workers’ union leaders and the government failed to bear fruit late last night, Bangladesh Railway cancelled all trains until 9:00am today.

A meeting between railway-assigned labour leaders and protesting workers was held at the Kamalapur Railway Station last night.

Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, special assistance to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and also the chief coordinator of Jatiyatabadi Shramik Dal, played the role of a mediator.

After the meeting, Saidur Rahman, acting president of Bangladesh Railway Running Staff and Sramik Karmachari Union, said Shimul Biswas requested them to call off the strike for some days as the government would meet their demands gradually.

“But we told him clearly that our programme will continue until our demands are met,” Saidur told The Daily Star at 10:20pm.

Mojibur Rahman, general secretary of the union, told this correspondent at 11:00pm that their strike would continue until they get the assurance of meeting their demands in writing.

Replying to a question, he said, “We will talk to the railway authorities if invited tomorrow [today].”

Earlier yesterday, thousands of train passengers suffered as top officials of the railways ministry and Bangladesh Railway failed to convince the workers to call off their strike.

Railways Ministry Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan held a meeting with union leaders at the Rail Bhaban yesterday afternoon where he made assurances that the workers’ demands would be met gradually after talks with the finance adviser.

The rail adviser said he would try to have the ceiling removed on the special remuneration newly recruited assistant locomasters (assistant train drivers) get for their extra work, rail secretary Fahimul Islam told The Daily Star.

He said he believes it would be possible to do so.

Shimul and several student coordinators were present at the meeting.

After the Rail Bhaban meeting, the union leaders and others sat for another meeting at the Kamalapur Railway Station.

The Daily Star could not reach Shimul Biswas for comments.

The union, a platform of over 2,000 train staffers including locomasters (train drivers), assistant locomasters, guards, and ticket checkers, enforced the nationwide indefinite work abstention from 12:00am yesterday.

They are demanding that all train staffers get the same benefits for additional work during their service and when they retire.

BR transports over 2 lakh passengers in more than 350 trains, including over 100 intercity trains, every day. It also transports over 7,500 tonnes of goods on an average.

PEOPLE SUFFER

Shefa Begum, a factory worker, went to the Kamalapur Railway Station along with her child and husband at 9:00am yesterday. They went there from Kanchpur of Narayanganj and were supposed to go 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 10:30am.

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