Rail services resume after 9-hour blockade over alleged TTE assault on RU student
The incident took place early today aboard the Dhaka-bound Padma Express as it was passing through Sirajganj.
Rail communication between Rajshahi and the rest of the country resumed today (21 July) after students of Rajshahi University lifted a nine-hour blockade of the railway tracks, following the university administration's decision to accept four of their demands over the alleged assault on a law student by a travelling ticket examiner (TTE).
The blockade was withdrawn around 3:30pm after a meeting involving the divisional administration, railway officials, university authorities and student representatives.
The alleged assault took place early today aboard the Padma Express while the train was travelling from Dhaka to Rajshahi via Sirajganj.
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The victim, Furkan Uddin, a student from the university's law department, alleged that TTEs Suman and Raju were collecting money from ticketless passengers without issuing receipts.
When he protested, he was allegedly beaten up before being taken to the train's doorway and faced an attempt to push him off the moving train.
In protest, students blocked the railway line near the university's Faculty of Fine Arts gate from around 6:30am, disrupting rail services between Rajshahi and the rest of the country.
Railway officials said the blockade disrupted the schedules of at least 10 trains, while several other services also faced the risk of delays and cancellations.
The accused, TTE Suman, was later suspended.
The protesting students initially demanded that the accused be produced before them in person, permanently dismissed and prosecuted over the alleged bribery and attempted murder, that the victim be compensated, and that all long-distance trains make a scheduled stop at Rajshahi University Railway Station.
University authorities, student representatives and railway officials later held a meeting at the Rajshahi divisional commissioner's office.
During the meeting, authorities decided to temporarily suspend the accused TTE and formed two investigation committees to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged assault.
According to meeting decisions, the Rajshahi divisional commissioner formed a five-member probe committee comprising the additional district magistrate, representatives of the Railway Security Force and Rajshahi University, while Western Railway constituted a separate three-member committee to investigate the incident from the railway's side.
Authorities also decided to provide medical treatment and compensation to the injured student.
They further decided that three late-night trains entering Rajshahi would stop at Rajshahi University Railway Station, while the university administration would coordinate shuttle bus services with train schedules.
Another official meeting has been scheduled for 6 August to review progress on implementing the decisions.
According to sources from the meeting, the accused TTE apologised to the student and the university authorities before railway officials announced his temporary suspension.
Following the meeting, student representative Salahuddin Ammar announced the withdrawal of the blockade, saying the authorities had agreed to implement the students' demands.
He also apologised to stranded passengers for the disruption.
