Locals hurl stones at train in Bhairab upazila amid demand for district status
Train services on the route were suspended for nearly two hours during the demonstrations.
Locals in Bhairab upazila of Kishoreganj threw stones at a train today (27 October) during their demonstrations to press home their demand for Bhairab to be declared a new district.
Train services on the route were suspended for nearly two hours during the demonstrations but later resumed after the intervention of the Railway Police, Bhairab Railway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saeed Ahmed confirmed BBC Bangla.
He said locals blocked train movement from 10:25am, demanding that Bhairab be made the country's 65th district.
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The blockade was withdrawn around 11:45am after several rounds of discussions between the demonstrators and authorities, he added.
However, when the Upakul Express attempted to pass through Bhairab Railway Station, demonstrators began pelting it with stones and bricks.
Local journalist Nur Mohammad told BBC Bangla that two passengers and several others were injured in the attack.
The Railway Police later brought the situation under control, after which the train resumed its journey toward Dhaka.
Due to the rail blockade, the schedules of five trains were disrupted, reports BBC Bangla.
Locals under the banner of "Bhairab Residents" had been observing a three-day programme since Sunday, demanding district status for Bhairab.
On the second day of the programme, this morning, residents gathered at Bhairab Railway Station at about 10am carrying red cloths in symbolic protest.
