Rail communication between Rajshahi and the rest of the country came to a standstill on Tuesday after students of Rajshahi University (RU) blocked a railway track, protesting the alleged assault of a university student by a travelling ticket examiner (TTE).
The protesters occupied the railway line near the university campus, demanding the arrest and punishment of the TTE accused of attacking a student who questioned the collection of fares without issuing official receipts.
The blockade disrupted rail services from early morning, preventing Dhaka-bound Bonolota Express and Silk City Express from leaving Rajshahi Railway Station.
Trains heading towards Rajshahi were also forced to stop, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
The injured student, Forkan Uddin, is a law student from the university`s 2019–20 academic session.
Forkan alleged that the incident occurred while he was travelling from Dhaka to Rajshahi on the Padma Express.
According to him, he noticed several TTEs collecting money from passengers without providing tickets and protested the practice, arguing that railway revenue belongs to the state.
He claimed that several TTEs then dragged him between two coaches, where they assaulted him, striking his neck and back.
He also alleged they attempted to push him out of the train through a window before he managed to escape.
His glasses were damaged during the incident.
Following the alleged assault, students launched the railway blockade near the university`s Fine Arts area, declaring that train movement would remain suspended until those responsible were brought to justice.
The protesters demanded that the accused TTE, identified as Suman, be produced before them and face legal action.
Ariful Islam, general secretary of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall Students` Union, alleged that corruption and passenger harassment had become common in railway services.
"We will not withdraw the blockade until the victim receives justice and appropriate compensation," he said.
Rajshahi University Central Students` Union (RAKSU) General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar visited the protest site to express support, while RAKSU Vice-President Mostakur Rahman Zahid also backed the movement in a Facebook post, calling for a public apology from the accused and legal action.
University Proctor Prof Dr Mahbubur Rahman said the student had been seriously assaulted and acknowledged that the protesters` demands were justified, although the blockade had caused inconvenience to passengers.
He said the university administration was holding discussions with the students, railway officials and law enforcement agencies in an effort to resolve the situation.
Farid Ahmed, general manager of Bangladesh Railway`s Western Zone, said negotiations with the protesters were continuing and expressed hope that train services would resume soon.
However, the blockade remained in place at the time of filing this report, leaving passengers stranded and disrupting rail services to and from Rajshahi.
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