‘We Liberated the Country’: TTE Beaten by Students

A shocking incident of physical violence occurred at Bhairab Railway Station on Monday afternoon, 5 January, when a Senior Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) was brutally assaulted by a group of individuals claiming to be students. The attackers reportedly justified their refusal to pay for tickets by claiming they had “liberated the country.”

The Incident Aboard the Chattala Express

The confrontation began shortly after the Chattala Express, bound for Chattogram from Dhaka, departed from the Airport station at approximately 3:00 pm. Senior TTE Tanzim Faraji was performing his routine duties when he encountered a group of 8 to 10 young men between Tongi and Bhairab.

When asked to produce their tickets, the youths identified themselves as students and refused to pay. The situation escalated when Mr Faraji collected a legitimate fare of BDT 220 from a middle-aged passenger travelling with the group to Brahmanbaria. This sparked a heated verbal altercation, with the youths reportedly shouting that as “liberators of the nation,” they should be exempt from railway fares.

Ambush at Bhairab Station

Upon the train’s arrival at Bhairab, Mr Faraji concluded his shift and disembarked. As he was walking towards a nearby mosque to perform his afternoon prayers, the group intercepted him. They attempted to forcibly take him back onto the train to Brahmanbaria. When he resisted, the group launched a coordinated physical assault, striking him repeatedly.

Local residents and eyewitnesses intervened to rescue the official from the mob. “If the locals had not stepped in, a much more serious tragedy could have occurred,” one witness remarked. The attackers fled the scene shortly after the intervention.

Legal and Administrative Response

A video of the assault has since gone viral on social media, sparking widespread public outrage and calls for the restoration of discipline on the national rail network.

Incident Summary: | Detail | Information | | :— | :— | | Victim | Tanzim Faraji (Senior TTE) | | Location | Bhairab Railway Station Area | | Date & Time | Monday, 5 Jan, approx. 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm | | Train Involved | Chattala Express (Dhaka to Chattogram) | | Nature of Dispute | Ticket fare collection (BDT 220) | | Alleged Claim | Student identity / “Liberators” exempt from fares |

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhairab Railway Police Station, Sayed Ahmed, stated that they are aware of the incident and are reviewing the viral footage to identify the culprits. He assured the public that legal action would be taken once a formal complaint is lodged. Meanwhile, Bhairab Railway Station Officer Md. Yusuf confirmed that the attackers were not local residents and likely originated from the Brahmanbaria area.

The victim, Mr Faraji, expressed his trauma and confirmed his intention to seek justice through official channels. “I was simply doing my job to protect government revenue,” he stated.