The Bangladesh Railway Running Staff called off a strike upon receiving assurances from the government over the resumption of mileage-based payments, and train services across the nation resumed on Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier the same day, The Bangladesh Railway Running Staff went on a strike and suspended train operations across the country as early as 6:00am.
Kamalapur railway station in-charge Master Afsar Uddin confirmed the matter. No train had left the station since 6:00am on Wednesday, he said, causing distress to the people who came to the station in the morning.
Apart from their duty, the running staff – loco masters, train ticket checkers, and guards – used to get a special allowance equal to a day’s basic salary for every eight hours of work. But the allowance was reduced when the railway authorities began using special software in 2020 to pay salaries and allowances.
In January, the running staffers threatened to go on strike to press home demand for the restoration of mileage-based payments. They postponed the programme following the assurance of Railways Ministry Secretary Humayun Kabir.
However, the staffers went on a sudden strike on Wednesday after they came to know that the finance ministry recently turned down the railway ministry's proposal to reinstate the previous benefits.
