Railway workers block trains for job regularisation

Staff Reporter  :
The railway communication between the capital and the rest of the country was disrupted for over five hours due to the obstructions laid by the railway workers on the main artery of the rail network line at Tejgaon.

The demonstrators sat on the rail tracks passing by the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) in Karwar Bazar area around 10:30am with their demand for job regularisation.
Around 100 workers under the banner of “Bangladesh Railways Temporary Workers Union” took position on the rail tracks for five hours till obtaining assurances from the concerned authority.

They demanded immediate job regularisation and stopping of outsourcing, resulting in the obstruction to rail communication. In the early hours of their obstructions, the Brahmanbaria-bound Titas Express got stranded near Karwan Bazar around 10:00 AM.
Following the continuation of the obstruction, the schedule of a number of trains were disrupted, causing immense sufferings to the passengers who were stranded either inside the trains or at the Railway stations before getting the clearance.
Meanwhile, the workers claim that advertisements were issued for the recruitment of approximately 7,000 temporary workers. On the other hand, these workers have been working for the railway for 12 to 14 years.

The agreement stated that they would be made permanent within three to four years. However, the railway authorities have not yet made their jobs permanent. Instead, they have been replaced by contractors through outsourcing, resulting in the announcement of new employee recruitment, they said.
The agitated workers stated that they would not vacate the railway tracks until their demands are met.

Later Railway (East) General Manager Jahangir Hossain arrived at the scene and urged them to free the rail tracks as people were sufferings.
He said, “Our decision was to recruit workers through outsourcing after June. We have set a condition for the outsourcing company that we want experienced individuals. Those who are protesting here, we will provide them with certificates of experience, and we will instruct the outsourcing company to hire them.”
“Through outsourcing, we will provide employment opportunities in the railway for you. We hope that you will stop blocking the trains and causing inconvenience to people. We will provide you with the best possible support within the framework of the law,” he said.
After getting assurance from him, the workers called off their movement.