Bangladesh Rail Network Paralyzed as Workers Strike Over Benefits

Nationwide train cancellations disrupt passenger travel and freight transport after failed negotiations with interim government.

Railway staff in Bangladesh began an indefinite strike on Tuesday, halting the operation of around 400 passenger and freight trains nationwide.
The strike stems from demands for higher pensions and overtime benefits, which workers claim were reduced following a controversial 2021 policy change under the previous government.
Passengers across the country, including in Dhaka and Chattogram, faced significant disruptions, with many stranded at stations or forced to seek alternative travel options.
The strike has hit the garment export industry, which heavily relies on rail transport to move goods to the seaport in Chattogram, Bangladesh's largest port city.
Union leaders have vowed to continue the strike indefinitely unless the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, agrees to their demands.