Bengali Advocacy Group Demands Linguistic Rights in Railways

Members of Bangla Pokkho protested at the Eastern Railway headquarters, demanding Bengali language communication for commuters. Allegations included harassment by Hindi-speaking staff and inflated toilet charges. The group met officials to discuss issues, which were denied by railway authorities. Staff are regularly sensitized on such matters.

A vocal demonstration by the advocacy group Bangla Pokkho took place at the Eastern Railway headquarters, demanding that railway employees communicate in Bengali with local commuters. The protest comes ahead of 'International Mother Language Day,' highlighting linguistic rights concerns.

Group members alleged harassment by some Hindi-speaking employees and raised concerns about inflated charges at railway station toilets. Garga Chatterjee, the organization's secretary, also claimed that Bengali hawkers face unjust targeting, with accusations of being labeled as 'Bangladeshis.'

A meeting with the General Manager revealed that no official complaints had been lodged regarding these issues. An ER official stated they are investigating claims while reaffirming that sensitization programs for staff continue regularly.