BANGLADESH train services have been disrupted since this morning following a railway staff strike over payments nationwide.

Kamalapur railway station on-duty chief Afsar Uddin confirmed that services have been suspended across the country since 6am local time (0000 GMT).

Tens of thousands of passengers at various train stations are stranded, reported Anadolu Agency.

“I was supposed to go to Chattogram (a southern port city) for emergency work, but have been stranded here for almost six hours,” said Mohammad Bashir Uddin, a passenger at the station in capital Dhaka.

Close to him is a woman passenger, who said no prior notice about the strike was given. She carried a big luggage and had two children with her.

Md Azul Islam, a railway department staff member, said workers are demanding restoration of mileage-based overtime allowances and retirement benefits.

They have been requesting the authorities to meet their demands but did not get any outcome, he added.

Railway Minister Nurual Islam Sujan and other officials are set to hold talks to solve the crisis. – Bernama, April 13, 2022.