The country’s most convenient and safe mode of transport -railway is grappling with a series of adverse events, raising serious concerns about the sector’s safety and security.
On top of this, British era rail tracks and coaches sill in services in most parts of the country are also thought to be major reasons behind such train accidents.
Recently, numerous incidents of derailments have occurred in different regions of the country, along with incidents of railway coaches being torched.
While the torching incidents are suspected to be acts of sabotage orchestrated by the opposition political party during their ongoing blockade, many people have also questionedfrequent incidents of derailments.
Three coaches, including a train engine of the Inter-City Kishoreganj Express train derailed at Gachihata in Katiadi, Kishoreganj on Saturday. Anotherincident of derailment of two coaches of a freight train took place at the signal point of Abdulpur railway junction in Natore’s Lalpurupzila last Wednesday (November 22).
Yet in more incidents a Dhaka-bound Rangpur Express coache derailed in Tarabari area of TangailSadarUpazila on November
21. On November 19, another freight train derailed near Brahmanbaria railway station.
Train movement on Dhaka-Tongi-Chattogram railway route was suspended for 8 hours due to derailment of the engine of a freight train in Kaliganjupazila of Gazipur on October 22.
While this correspondent tried to find out what was the actual cause of these incidents, officials of the railways ministry informed that investigations are on-going. Based on the final investigation report from the probe committee they will be able to disclose the fact behind such repeated incidents.
Bangladesh Railway Director (Commercial) Nahid Hassan Khan told Bangladesh Post, “As the probe committee has been formed, we can find out the reasons behind the incidents only when the probe report is submitted.”
However, about Kishoreganj Express train derailment, Mizanur Rahman, the Station Master of Kishoreganj Railway Station informed that due to signal error such incident have has occurred.
Mymensingh Railway Police Station Office InchargeMd Jahangir Alam told Bangladesh Post, “After recent derailment incidents they have inspected the area but they have not found anything related to sabotage. However, they remain alert to prevent occurrence of such untoward incidents.”
On condition of anonymity, an official from the ministry informed this correspondent that most of the rail tracks and coaches are century old. Both the rail tracks and coaches require immediate repairs.
According to Railways Ministry, such incidents of railway bridges collapsing or derailing are not new. Derailments are a daily occurrence on the 3336-kilometer railway network in the country. Within the Eastern Railway, there are 1,639 bridges, with approximately 85 percent of them dating back to the British colonial period.
In the Dhaka division alone, there are a total of 550 railway bridges, the majority of which are remnants from the British era. The Western Railway boasts 1,367 bridges, with some recent additions in Pakshi and Lalmonirhat sections. However, the Pakshi division has 595 railway bridges, Lalmonirhat division has 408, and Khulna division has 364.
Despite an expenditure of Tk 72,000 crore in the last decade for railway development, 60 percent of the country's railway lines are deemed hazardous. Furthermore, a significant portion of passengers, around 70 percent, continue to be transported using outdated engines and coaches.
Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association Secretary General MdMozammelHaque Chowdhury told Bangladesh post that in the coming days such incidents will increase for sure.
He said, “A big portion of expert locomasters are taking retirement. In recent time, railways has appointed locomasters but their service age is only two to three years while for operating an intercity train a locomaster must have at least 10 to 15 years of operating experience. On the other hand, same thing is applicable for Signalman also.”
He further added that railways operation is a combined efforts. Development not only means brining new coaches and constructing new rail lines but it is too much important to createmore skilled locomasters, signalmen, gate keepers and other key personnel.