Pabna, Sept 2 (V7N) — A 15-day mass signature campaign has been launched in Pabna demanding critical infrastructure developments, including the launch of a direct express train service between Pabna and Dhaka via the Jamuna Railway Bridge, the relocation of the Kazirhat ferry terminal to Khoyarchor, the reopening of Ishwardi Airport with modern facilities, and the expansion of the central road from Pabna Bus Terminal to Gachpara into a four-lane highway.
 
The campaign was formally inaugurated on Monday afternoon at the Mahuatola premises of Pabna Government Edward College. The opening ceremony featured a discussion session, after which the signature drive was officially launched by Abul Kalam Azad, father of the late Shahid Mahbub Hasan Niloy. The event saw enthusiastic participation from students and local residents.
 
Khan Habib Mostafa, President of the Shekor Pabna Foundation, which organized the initiative, announced that the campaign would run from September 1 to September 15. Citizens can participate both physically and online, via QR codes and Google Forms.
 
He noted that residents of Pabna have long demanded the construction of a new Jamuna Bridge through the Nagarbari–Aricha corridor. “If the second Jamuna Bridge is implemented here, it will accelerate the socioeconomic development of this entire region,” he said, urging swift implementation of the foundation’s demands.
 
Chaired by Khan Habib Mostafa and moderated by student Ataur Rahman, the event's keynote speaker was prominent educator and former principal of Pabna College, Mahatab Uddin Biswas.
 
In his speech, Biswas strongly emphasized the urgency of launching a direct Pabna–Dhaka train service. “This must be achieved at any cost. The current railway extension from Pabna to Majgram is largely non-functional. It must be activated immediately to ease travel to Dhaka,” he said.
 
He added that moving the Kazirhat ferry terminal to Khoyarchor would reduce a two-hour river crossing to just 15 minutes. He also demanded the reopening of Ishwardi Airport to support regional hubs like the Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant and Ishwardi EPZ, and advocated for the construction of a four-lane road through the city to relieve traffic congestion.
 
Notable guests included former Pabna Press Club president ABM Fazlur Rahman; Professor Lutfur Rahman, head of Physics at Edward College and secretary of the faculty association; Professor Rafiqul Islam, head of the Economics Department; Professor Nurul Alam Bacchu of Management; and Assistant Professor Mahfuzul Bari of Botany.
 
Leaders from various civic and student organizations also spoke, including Mahfuzur Rahman, President of the Pabna Kindergarten Association; Golam Rahman Joy, President of Pabna City Shibir; Imrul Kayes Kabbya, General Secretary of the College BNP unit; Arif Hossain, President of the College Shibir; Manjil Haque, former GS of Bulbul College; and SM Kibria and Shaon Hossain, conveners of the Pabna chapter of BAGSAS.
 
The campaign reflects rising public pressure in Pabna for long-overdue infrastructure development. With Pabna's strategic location near major economic and energy hubs, residents and civic groups are intensifying calls for government investment to boost connectivity, transportation, and regional growth.
 
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