Metro running on schedule as staffers withdraw strike

A group of metro rail staffers suddenly went on a strike from early today allegedly for an attack on some of their fellows by a group of metro rail police yesterday.

Although the trains were found running on schedule, our correspondent found no staffers at least two stations, allowing passengers to a free ride.

Our correspondent found at least two stations -- Mirpur 10 and Secretariat -- had no staffers, except some ansar men in the morning.

The correspondent found the gates were open around 8:30am at Mirpur 10 Station and commuters getting on the trains without swiping their metro passes.

A metro rail staffer said they had announced work abstention after some MRT police beat some of their colleagues when they intercepted them for not using the passes to avail the service.

"But we have withdrawn our protest after our top authorities assured us about taking proper action against the responsible persons, " he told this correspondent around 8:45am.

Asked about absence of the staffers at stations, he said the staffers already reached some stations and will reach other stations soon.

The higher authorities are working to normalise the situation, he said without mentioning his name.

Talking to The Daily Star at 9:00am, DMTCL Managing Director Faruque Ahmed said operations are 95 percent normal now, and the rest will be normalised shortly.

Some actions against police personnel have already been taken and the next course of action will be taken after investigation, he said.