On the first day of 72-hour blockade programme enforced by BNP led 18-party alliance, the pickets put up barricade on the rail tracks by setting fire and placing logs at Ispahani Gate area in the port city, causing disruption in rail schedule that pushed the commuters into immense sufferings.
Train communication remained suspended for one and half hour on different routes with Chittagong, while schedules of different trains were delayed up to seven hours because of the barricade, railway officials said.
AA Samsul Alam, station manager of Chittagong railway station, told Dhaka Tribune no train schedule was cancelled on Saturday, however, schedule of different trains were delayed as pickets put barricade on the rail tracks.
Dhaka bound Chattala Express, which was scheduled to leave the station at 9am, left around 11:55am after the rail tracks were cleared, he said, adding that Sylhet bound Paharika left seven and half hours after the schedule.
Earlier, Mahanagar Godhuli and Mail train from Dhaka got stuck at Faujdarhat Station under because of the barricade, railway officials said.
While visiting the railway station in the afternoon, this correspondent found two foreigners—Fedarico and Ivanco from Italy who came to Bangladesh to spend holidays—waiting for Sylhet bound Paharika Express.
Fedarico said they bought tickets for Sylhet, but they would have to go to Sylhet On Sunday as the delay of train schedule foiled their plan for the day.
Ivanco said Bangladeshi people were too patient even after such political instability, adding that they would have gone mad if similar situation prevailed in their country.
Iqbal Hossain, a police constable of Kotwali police station who bought tickets of Mahanagar Probhati, said he along with his wife had been waiting at the station since morning, adding that they cannot but wait as they must had to go to their native home on Saturday.
Meanwhile, many passengers returned their tickets because of the schedule disruption and fearing further sufferings on the way.
