Five of the 11 railway stations along the 51-kilometer route between Chandpur and Laksham Junction in Comilla remain closed, causing significant difficulties for daily passengers. The affected stations—Moishadi, Shahtoli, Bolakhal, Waruk, and Shahrasti—are located within Chandpur district and have been non-operational for several years due to staffing shortages, despite their infrastructure being intact.

Md Maruf Hossain, station master of Chandpur Boro Station, confirmed that the five stations have remained closed for an extended period, primarily because of a lack of railway personnel. Passengers, including Jakir Hossain, Jalaluddin, and Majibur Rahman, have voiced frustration over the closures, emphasizing the hardships faced by thousands of men, women, children, and patients who rely on rail transport for travel.

Railway officials reported that while eight local and two intercity Express trains once operated through Chandpur on this route toward Chattogram and Sylhet via Laksham Junction, currently only one intercity Express and a commuter train run. This limited service compels passengers to use Chandpur as a transit point to reach destinations such as Sylhet, Noakhali, and Brahmanbaria, underlining the need to reactivate the five closed stations to improve connectivity in the region.

In the absence of adequate rail services, bus transportation has become the primary affordable means of long-distance travel. Md Shoyebur Rahman, general secretary of the Chandpur Bus Owner’s Association, stated that approximately 450 buses operate from Chandpur to destinations including Chattogram, Sylhet, Cumilla, Khagrachhari, and Thakurgaon.

Residents also noted changes in the area’s transportation dynamics over the years. Mostofa Khan, a Chandpur resident, recalled that rail routes were extensively used to transport oil and grain from depots located near the Dakatia River bank, but such activity has ceased over the past 35 years. This decline has led to unauthorized encroachments along the railway corridor, with some individuals establishing homes within a kilometer of the rail line. Shahjahan Khan, a local resident and railway employee, expressed concern over these developments.

Railway staff further reported incidents of theft, including the removal of nuts, bolts, and other critical components from the railway tracks, which has exacerbated challenges in maintaining the route and securing safe and efficient rail operations in the area.