Special train carries Jamaat activists to Dhaka ahead of rally

The train, consisting of eight coaches, will head back to Mymensingh at end of the rally

A special train carrying leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami is en route to Dhaka ahead of the party's rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.

The train left Mymensingh for the capital at 6:20am on Saturday, according to Railway Superintendent Nazmul Haque Khan.

Railway officials said that Jamaat leaders had applied to the railways ministry for a special train for the Dhaka rally, which was then provided on a rental basis.

The special train, consisting of eight coaches, has a seating capacity of 428. The round-trip fare from Mymensingh to Dhaka and back is Tk 147,498. The train will return to Mymensingh after the rally concludes.

From early morning, leaders and activists of the district and metropolitan units of Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliated organisations began gathering at the station to head to the capital.

Mymensingh city Jamaat chief Maulana Kamrul Ahsan Emrul, Secretary Prof Shahidullah Kaiser, and Assistant Secretary Mahbubul Hasan Shamim were seen geeing up the activists at the station.

“To make the rally a success, 5,000 leaders and activists are heading to Dhaka from Mymensingh by train. We hope the rally will reflect the hopes and aspirations of the people," said Kamrul.

“Alongside preserving the country’s peace and stability, the rally will deliver a strong message about the upcoming election. With that message from the central leadership, we will also work vigorously to organise the grassroots.”

Shahidullah said, “Leaders and activists from all over the country are energised by the rally. Everyone is heading to Dhaka in their own way to make it a success.”

“The people of this country sincerely want Jamaat-e-Islami to come to power. The rally will prove just how much the people love Jamaat-e-Islami.”