A Correspondent:
Brahmanbaria: Train services on Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet routes resumed on Sunday after five hours of suspension as protesters lifted their blockade on railway tracks and roads demanding the restoration of six villages to their original union and protesting a proposal to create a new upazila by merging several unions of Sadar upazila.
The blockade was lifted around 11:30am following assurances from senior district BNP leaders who promised to discuss the protesters’ demands with the administration and resolve the issue within three days.
The residents of Basudeb union placed unused railway sleepers on the tracks to create barricades and staged demonstrations with various slogans. They also blocked the Akhaura-Agartala highway by setting fires on the road.
The blockade at Kodda Cabin area under Sadar upazila halted train movement on Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chattogram routes in the morning.
Due to the blockade, several trains, including Parabat Express, Parjotak Express, Mahanagar Provati and Subarna Express, Sonar Bangla Express and Upakul Express, got stranded at different stations.
Road communication on Akhaura-Agartala route was also disrupted, causing severe suffering to passengers, including those travelling to India.
Locals said six villages – Kodda, Baishnabpur, Shyamnagar, Korabari, Chandi and Borishol – were separated from Basudeb union in May this year to form a new union named Borishol under Akhaura upazila. A gazette notification regarding the administrative change was issued on June 4.
Residents of Basudeb union had protested the move from the beginning, but their grievances remained unresolved, they said.
Tensions escalated further after a proposal was made recently to merge three unions of Sadar upazila – Basudeb, Sultanpur and Ramrail – with Borishol union under Akhaura upazila to form a new upazila named Borishol.
Following an application, the Local Government Division recently sent an official letter seeking a feasibility study for establishing the new upazila, prompting anger among local residents.
Brahmanbaria Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khairul Alam said police went to the spot to maintain security.
Brahmanbaria Railway Station Master Md Rafiqul Islam said the stranded trains started leaving for their destinations around 11:30am after the protesters cleared the tracks.
