Train services in western zone suspended for 2 days

Bangladesh Railways has decided to suspend train operations in the western region from Jan 6 to Jan 7 after the arson attack on the Benapole Express train that killed four people, including two children, in Dhaka.

Kamlapur Railway Station Manager Masud Sarwar confirmed the matter on Saturday.

Earlier, Asim Kumar Talukder, General Manager of Western Region of Bangladesh Railway, made the announcement in a Facebook post at 12:45pm on Saturday (Jan 6).

The post said that due to unavoidable reasons, Benapole Express and Dhalarchar Express trains will be halted on January 6 and 7.

Besides Mahananda (up/down), Rocket (up/down), Padmarag (21/22), Rangpur Shuttle (97/98), Dhaka Commuter (99), Rajshahi Commuter (5/6) and Bogura Commuter (5/6) train movement will be completely suspended on January 6 and 7. Besides, Chilmari Commuter and Local (462/455/456/461) will be suspended on January 6 (partially) and January 7.

However, the post did not give any specific reason for the suspension of the trains.

On December 22, five pairs of trains were suspended to avoid vandalism due to political unrest and hartal-blockade programmes.

Earlier on December 19, four people including a child were killed after miscreants set fire to Dhaka-bound Mohanganj Expres in the capital's Tejgaon area. 

With the latest casualties, a total of eight people have died in train fires in the country since October 28.

BNP and like-minded parties are enforcing various agitation programmes, including hartals and blockades across the country to meet a number of demands.

They have boycotted the 12th national elections and announced programmes including a hartal on the election day in protest.