TA Panna, Roving Correspondent

After various untoward incidents related to construction of a road between the outer signal of Ishwardi By-pass Station and the yard of the station, on Tuesday afternoon (October 29), Lalpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mehedi Hasan, Army Officer Captain Masudur Rahman and army members, Pakshi Divisional Bridge Engineer Abdur Rahim, Pakshi Divisional Engineer/2 Birbal Mandal, Pakshi Divisional Engineer Loco Ashish Kumar, Pakshi Divisional Signal Engineer M,M, Rajib Billah, ACRNB Pakshi Ataur Rahman Chowdhury and other officials visited the by-pass station area to discuss and resolve the issue with the villagers who were constructing the road.

Railway officials tried to explain to the villagers about the various benefits and inconveniences of the railway authorities and the locals if they use the road built without the permission of the railway authorities. At the same time, they also proposed to build an alternative road through a tunnel for the convenience of the villagers. At this time, Lalpur Upazila Executive Officer Mehedi Hasan and Army officer Captain Masudur Rahman also tried to explain the matter. But the villagers did not agree to any of their proposals, on the contrary, they raised various slogans.

During the discussion, excitement, and slogans between both parties for almost an hour, the driver stopped the Tungipara Express train leaving Rajshahi to avoid an accident. After three minutes, the train was released by giving an OTP. Several railway officials said that the railway authorities always work for the convenience of the people. But the locals of the bypass station, led by a government employee named Main, have forcibly built a cast-iron road through the yard with four railway lines for all types of traffic, including inter-city, without any discussion or application, under the leadership of a government employee engineer named Main.

This has put the villagers, including train passengers, at risk. After learning about the road construction since October 16, the railway officials tried to prevent and convince the villagers, but it did not work. Led by a government employee named Main, they lifted the on-duty station master from his chair and raised various slogans on the station platform with sticks.

Not only that, they recorded videos of their processions and slogans and made them viral on social media. It did not end here, they also beat up PWI Ishwardi. The matter is known to all types of administrations, starting from the army. A GDO has also been filed in this regard at Ishwardi Railway Police Station. Shahbul Alam, a resident of Daharshail village and a member of Ward No. 8 of AB Union, said, "We have been demanding the construction of a rail gate here since the railway line was built. But the railway authorities are not taking it into account, so the villagers were forced to block the railway line.

After the villagers built a paved road here at their own initiative and expense, they tried to contact the railway authorities, but they ignored them. The villagers who built the road said that if no visible steps are taken within three days, the rail connection with the northern region will be stopped. Earlier, on the morning of October 18, the villagers took a position on the railway line heading towards Dhaka from the northern region and demanded the installation of a rail gate and the appointment of a gateman. UNO Mehedi Hasan said, "We have visited the scene. The army, police and local public representatives were also there.

The railway authorities are calling the villagers' demands risky, since the railway station is nearby. Numerous inter-city trains run non-stop. We will sit with everyone concerned to resolve the issue." Pakshi Divisional Railway Manager Shah Sufi Noor Mohammad said that by illegally constructing a cast-iron rail crossing at the bypass station yard, the safety of people and property including the local residents has been disrupted.

There is a fear of numerous casualties in a terrible accident at any time. It is planned to discuss this issue with the UNO.