Overview

• 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.