Bangladesh News

Train communications across the country came to a grinding halt as the Awami League-led 14-party combine activists blocked all routes under a nationwide siege programme since today morning, starting off with an arson attack on a train.

Some other trains either came under attack or were halted by the 14-party activists while the rest cancelled their scheduled journey in view of the perils, creating suffering for the commuters, UNB correspondents report.

The siege pickets set fire to a compartment of a passenger train at Tongi rail-station in the morning, trying to ensure compliance with their nonstop siege programme enforced to press home the combine’s 11-point demand for creating a congenial environment for the forthcoming general election.

Police sources said the 14-party activists attacked the Dinajpur-bound Ekota Express train at about 10am shortly after it arrived at the station.

“The attackers ransacked valuables in several compartments of the train, and at one stage, they set fire to one of the compartments,” says a spot account of the marauding.

Later, police and BDR personnel rushed in and doused the blaze with the help of local people at about 10:30 am.

In Comilla, 14-party supporters manhandled Alishhar stationmaster Nurul Haq and locked up his room as he allowed train communications through his station.

A Bhairab-bound local train came under attack by the 14-party activists while it reached Brahmanbaria station, while two others in Dinajpur and Nilphamari districts.

According to Railway Control Room, no trains, be that inter-district or local, could reach their destinations till 1.30pm. Some trains were stopped while another cancelled its schedule.

UNB correspondent from Mymensingh said Dhaka-bound Ekata train was forced to halt by 14-party men at Gaforgaon while the inter-district Jamuna in Kauraid station.

Moulbibazar correspondent added that Joyantika express was halted at Langla while Kushiara express at Kulaura station.