Passengers at Rajarhat Railway Station in Kurigram are facing severe hardship as the facility remains without a platform and is plagued by filth, foul odour and lack of basic services.
The station area has turned into a dumping ground, with stagnant dirty water, water hyacinths and piles of waste surrounding the building, causing persistent suffering for passengers, pedestrians and nearby residents.
Basic amenities such as a waiting room and toilets remain abandoned, while the absence of a platform has increased the risk of accidents during boarding and alighting.
A visit to the site found low-lying areas on both sides of the station building filled with dirty water and vegetation, mixed with market waste that emits a strong stench.
Cracks have appeared on the building walls, and plaster has peeled off in several places, raising concerns over safety.
Passengers expressed frustration over the situation.
“It is difficult even to stand here. The stench is unbearable,” said Rifat Hossain, a passenger travelling to Lalmonirhat.
Locals said the area has long been neglected.
Rajarhat Journalists’ Forum Member Secretary and local resident Sohel Rana said the low land around the station allows waste from nearby markets and vegetable fields to accumulate there.
“There are no proper toilet facilities for passengers, forcing them into embarrassing situations as they have to seek help from nearby houses,” he said.
Local trader Hafizur Rahman, who runs a betel leaf stall at the station entrance, said he had heard funds had been allocated for repairs but no work had started yet.
Station Master Suman said railway staff are also suffering from the foul smell.
“We try to keep the area clean, but waste is dumped here at night due to lack of awareness,” he said.
He added that water from a nearby mosque’s ablution area and a fish market also accumulates at the station.
The station has received funds for renovation, with initial work to begin on doors and windows, followed by structural repairs, he said, adding that construction of a platform is also under consideration.
Once a key transport hub for the area, Rajarhat Railway Station has now become a symbol of neglect, with urgent repairs and proper maintenance needed to restore passenger services and ensure public health.
