Two Dhaka-bound trains, including a government-assigned special train and the Silk City Express, were delayed by over an hour on Tuesday morning after protesters staged a sit-in on the railway tracks at Rajshahi Railway Station.
The protest began around 7:15 am when activists from the July Declaration campaign occupied the tracks on Platform 1, voicing their objections to the condition of the special train allocated by railway authorities. The train, scheduled to depart at 7:20 am carrying students and activists to the official ceremony of the July Declaration, was delayed until 8:25 am due to the disruption.
Protesters argued that the special train was not fit for long-distance travel and would result in delays reaching Dhaka. They demanded a higher-quality train and refused to clear the tracks until their request was addressed. The protest also caused a delay to the Silk City Express, another Dhaka-bound train.
As tensions rose, the protesters split into two groups, with one boarding the special train and the other opting for the Silk City Express. A local journalist confirmed that activists were dissatisfied with the special train upon arrival, citing its lack of basic travel amenities, which led to the protest.
Railway officials later stated that the special train met all required standards and attributed the protest to a misunderstanding. The government-assigned train was scheduled to pick up students from multiple stations, including Rajshahi, Pabna, Ishwardi, Tangail, and Sirajganj, en route to Dhaka.
