Published : 05 Aug 2025, 08:55 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 01:36 PM
Students Against Discrimination activists have blocked the railway in Rajshahi in protest at the special train allocated for their travel to Dhaka to attend the reading of the July Proclamation.
Their protest disrupted rail links between Rajshahi and the rest of the country for about an hour on Tuesday, according to Rajshahi Railway Station Manager Shahidul Islam.
According to railway sources, a special train with 548 seats had been hired for their travel from Rajshahi to Dhaka at a cost of Tk 485,091. The train was scheduled to depart Rajshahi station at 7:20am, picking up “July warriors” from stations along the way.
Up to 250 passengers arrived at the station in the morning to travel to Dhaka.
However, some of them were dissatisfied with the train, claiming it was unfit for travel and began protesting.
They sat and even lay down on the railway tracks.
The Dhaka-bound Silk City Express was also delayed due to the blockade. The train was scheduled to depart at 7:40am.
Meanwhile, many student activists boarded the special train. Arguments later broke out between them and the protesters.
Eventually, railway authorities arranged a special coach attached to the Silk City Express to transport the protesting students to Dhaka.
“The government-allocated special train departed 40 minutes late following the blockade," said Shahidul.
“Similarly, the Silk City Express also left for Dhaka about 40 minutes behind schedule after the additional coach was arranged.”
