CU students stage demo demanding regular shuttle train service

Students of Chittagong University (CU) today staged a demonstration demanding a regular schedule of shuttle trains on the university route.

They came up with the demand padlocking the university's entrance at 1:20 pm today, a correspondent from CU campus reports.

The demonstrators also demanded the resumption of a Demu train and warned that they will continue their movement until the demand is met.

Suraiya Parven Ziinath, a student of Bangladesh Studies at CU said, "The number of shuttle trains is insufficient on the campus. Five days have passed since the university's in-person classes resumed. Due to the irregular schedule of the trains, the students have been suffering".

"The administration did not take any initiative even after we informed many times. That's why, we are here today," she said.

During their demonstration, CU Proctor Rabiul Hasan Bhuiyan assured the students that the shuttle would run on a full schedule as soon as possible.

Every day, two buses will start operation on the campus from Chittagong Railway Station through gate-2 at 8:30 am. The buses will leave the port city at 2:30 pm.

Proctor Rabiul said the students' demonstration is logical. The administration is not able to normalise the schedule of the shuttle trains due to the manpower crisis, he added.

Loco masters have been on strike since January 26 over the issue of mileage. At that time, due to the reason, the railway authorities decided to stop three pairs of shuttle trains from Chittagong University.

Later the station masters suspended the strike, but the shuttle trains on the CU route has not resumed in the last month.

The demu train operation remained suspended due to unavoidable reasons.

Earlier, the authorities operated six pairs of shuttle trains on the route but now only three pairs are being operated.