BCL men clash at Chittagong, 5 railway men suspended

Bangladesh Railway has suspended two staffers and three security officials of Chittagong Railway Station following demand by Bangladesh Chhatra League.

The BCL activists had clashed with security officials and vandalised counters during a protest on Wednesday evening which began after they were allegedly denied tickets.

The clash between ruling Awami League’s student activists and railway staffers began around 8pm, witnesses said.

The Chhatra League men vandalised five ticket counters during the clashes that created panic among the waiting passengers at the station.

BCL leaders claimed that railway security officials had attacked them.

The situation became normal around one and a half hours after top railway officials announced the temporary suspension of Station Master Abu Jafar, ticket counter No. 2 booking assistant 'Mohsin, and Government Railway Police personnel Monir Hossain, 'Sabbir', and 'Hafiz'.

East Zone Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) SM Murad Hossain around 9:30pm told reporters that apart from the five, Chittagong GRP Station OC Yeasin Faruq was sent on leave.

A five-member investigation team has been asked to submit its report within three days, Hossain said.

Chhatra League's Metropolitan unit General Secretary Nurul Azam Rony told bdnews24.com they had applied for tickets 10 days ahead to join an Aug 31 rally in Dhaka.

East Zone Assistant General Manager Mizanur Rahman had told them to come on Wednesday evening for the tickets, he said.

"After arriving, we waited for half an hour before Station Master Abu Jafar refused to give us the tickets and said to manage them by other means," Rony said.

He said he rejected Jafar's suggestion and that led to a heated argument.

He alleged Chhatra League activists were attacked by security men following orders from Jafar and OC Yasin Faruq when they started protesting.

Rony said five of their members were injured during the clashes.

BCL leaders and activists had blocked the station's all entrances and took out a protest march demanding punishment of the railway staffers and security officials.

Senior railway officials including DRM Murad Hossain and Additional Superintendent of GRP Maksudur Rahman reached the station around 9pm and held a meeting with the BCL leaders to resolve the situation.

After the 30-minute-long meeting, the suspension orders were announced.

East Zone Divisional Transport Officer Firoz Iftekhar was made the head of the five-strong probe team.

Maksudur Rahman said administrative actions will be taken against Faruq if he was found guilty of wrongdoing.