Rail communication suspended nationwide

The nationwide train movement halted in the early hours of Tuesday when Bangladesh Railway's (BR) running staff launched an indefinite strike to press home their demands. 

Panchagarh Express was the last train to leave the Kamalapur Station at 12:45am on Tuesday. All other trains scheduled to depart since then were cancelled, bringing train operations across the country to a standstill.

The strike stems from the staff's demands for several unresolved issues, including the inclusion of running allowances in their basic pay for pension calculations. Running staff, such as train drivers, guards, and ticket-checkers, are participating in this protest.

The strike began at midnight Monday after talks between railway authorities and the union of train drivers and support staff collapsed.

 As per regulations, a running staff member is entitled to 12 hours of rest upon returning to their headquarters or 8 hours if stationed outside. If required to work during rest hours for the benefit of railway operations, additional compensation known as 'mileage benefits' is provided. 

However, due to objections from the Ministry of Finance, the running staff has reportedly been deprived of this benefit, which is one of the key points of contention.