Railway authorities have cancelled 10 Dhaka-bound scheduled trains from East and West zones fearing sabotage, Railway’s DG has told bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh Railway’s East Zone authorities told bdnews24.com departures of inter-city Turna Nishitha Express and Dhaka Mail from Chittagong had been cancelled over safety concerns.
The supporters of Hifazat-e Islam earlier in the day vandalised the Brahmanbaria Railway Station after failing to purchase tickets there.
Station Master Amrita Lal Debnath told reporters the incident happened after hundreds of supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed radical group queued up at the station at around 1pm to buy tickets for Dhaka.
Hifazat announced a rally on Saturday in Dhaka after their long march demanding punishment of ‘atheist’ bloggers.
Meanwhile, countrywide blockades are being enforced by various socio-cultural organisations to thwart the programme.
Shahbagh’s Ganajagaran Mancha, whose initiators – bloggers and online activists – are targets of Hifazat, has also begun their pre-announced nationwide road, rail and waterways blockade from 6pm to resist the programmes.
The Jamaat and its student front, Islami Chhatra Shibir, had launched systematic attacks on the rail sector.
Scores of trains were set on fire. Sabotage on tracks also became frequent and sometimes the tracks were also set on fire.
On Tuesday, at least 20 people were injured when seven coaches of Dhaka-bound Turna Nishitha derailed as suspected activists of the Jamaat and Shibir had removed fishplates of the tracks.
Train communication in Bogra was halted for nearly five hours after Shibir activists had dislodged paddle clips.
Source: Bd news24