We are highly concerned about a media report that most of the level crossings under the country’s railway network remains unguarded, putting lives of people under potential threat. There are 2,789 level crossings across the country, but only 564 have gatemen there. Accidents in level crossings is very common in Bangladesh, which kills a good many people every year and so, the existence of unguarded level crossings is a matter of great concern for the people.
According to Bangladesh Railway, there are 1,321 unauthorised level crossings across the country and of them, 458 built by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), 502 by Union Parishads funded by LGED, 12 by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), 54 by city corporations, nine by Upazila Parishads, 116 by municipalities, and 170 by private entities.
Railway Director General Md. Afzal Hossain said, "Many government and private organisations have built roads over railway lines without permission, bypassing the Railway Act. Lack of coordination is blamed for such practice."
He also said that organisations are required to bear the costs of level crossings, including gatemen’s salary, but this obligation is ignored by most of them. "Ten years ago, a project funded by the Ministry of Finance took responsibility of some level crossings, but the project has ended. Now, we cannot pay salary to gatemen at these level crossings."
Railway Police data shows that in 2024 alone, 998 cases of train-related deaths were registered, with 1,117 bodies recovered. Of them, 794 were men and 223 women. Sitting or walking on tracks, careless crossing and wearing earphones are among the reasons behind such tragic deaths, he added.
In 2023, 1,054 cases were filed, with 1,064 deaths reported. Similar patterns emerged, with 502 deaths due to sitting or walking on tracks, 387 from careless crossings, 23 from falling off trains, 18 from wearing earphones and 134 from unknown causes.
Professor Dr Md Hadiuzzaman of Civil Engineering Department at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) stressed the need for modernization of traffic signal. "Many influential organisations build crossings without permission. They must take responsibility for accidents. Bangladesh Railway cannot be blamed," he said.
He also recommended installing speed breakers, lights and sound signals at level crossings to alert drivers, especially during dense fog. "We need signal automation, like in the neighbouring countries. We have to do it to save lives."
Lack of gatemen at approved level crossings further exacerbates the problem. In the eastern zone of Bangladesh Railway, 189 out of 434 approved crossings lack gatemen, while in the western zone, 715 out of 1,034 crossings are unmanned.
We hope the government and the organisations concerned will take urgent measures to prevent tragic deaths in level crossings.
