Unprotected and unauthorised level crossings continue to cause fatal accidents and loss of lives in Tanagil.
Local sources said out of the 46 rail crossings from Ibrahimabad Railway Station adjacent to the Jamuna River in Tangail to Mirzapur Railway Station in the district, 30 unprotected crossings have become death traps.
People are moving in fear at these unprotected railway crossings because there are no gatemen.
According to railway sources, there are 19 rail crossings from Ibrahimabad Railway Station in Kalihati Upazila, adjacent to the Jamuna River in Tangail, to Gharinda Railway Station in Tangail Sadar. Of these, 6 are guarded and 13 are unguarded.
Out of 18 railway crossings from Gharinda Railway Station in Tangail Sadar Upazila to Mahera Railway Station in Mirzapur, 6 have gatemen, that is, they are guarded, and 12 unguarded crossings do not have gatemen. Out of 9 railway crossings from Mahera Railway Station to Mirzapur Upazila Railway Station, 4 are guarded and 5 are unguarded. The death toll in accidents at unguarded railway crossings from Ibrahimabad to Mirzapur is increasing day by day. Commuters are in panic due to frequent casualties.
According to railway police sources, 15 people have died at unprotected railway crossings from Ibrahimabad to Mirzapur in Tangail since January this year.
Among them, 2 people died tragically in January, 2 in February, 1 in March, 1 in April, 2 in May, 4 in June, and 3 as of July 25. Many of the people died due to unprotected railway crossings and careless movement on railway lines.
In addition, on February 2, 2024, three people, including a father and son, were killed after being run over by a train in the Analiabari area of Kalihati in the district.
This brings the number of deaths in train accidents that year to 23. In 2023, 40 people died in train accidents in Tangail district.
In a recent visit, this correspondent found there is an unprotected rail gate at Tenguriapara on the Delduar-Basail road in Tangail. There are two large and thick speed breakers on both sides of the rail gate. The road is almost covered with local houses and tree leaves on both sides of the gate. Due to the leaves, there is no way to tell when a train is coming from one end to the other. Besides, there is a small shop next to the unprotected rail crossing.
Abdul Wares Mia, a shopkeeper next to the railway crossing, said that about 2,000 vehicles cross the railway crossing every day.
In addition, students and locals from 7 educational institutions on both sides of the railway crossing cross the road.
He has been running a shop next to that railway crossing for about 5 years. He often leaves his shop and serves as a gateman at the railway crossing in the public interest.
He said that even when the train comes close, the sound of the train cannot be heard. At that time, the sound of the vehicles moving on the road and the sound of the train become one.
As a result, the drivers of the moving vehicles cannot hear the sound of the train approaching. At that time, he ran and performed the duty of gateman for free in the public interest.
Mehedi Hasan, assistant teacher of Tenguriapara Dakhil Madrasa, said that there are several educational institutions in the vast area of Tenguriapara in Basail Upazila of Tangail. Students and guardians of several institutions travel on that road.
They are terrified due to the unprotected railway crossing.
Minhaj Uddin of Natiapara said that lakhs of people from Basail, Sakhipur, Tangail Sadar, Delduar and Mirzapur upazilas travel on the Delduar-Basail road every day. The speed of vehicles is somewhat controlled due to two speed breakers at both ends of the unprotected railway crossing.
Railway line employee Rubel Mia said that he takes care of the railway line covering a 6-kilometer area from Tenguriapara in Habla Union of Basail. There are three important unprotected railway crossings within the six kilometers under his responsibility. They are located in Tenguriapara, Patkhakuri and Sonalia in Basail.
Assistant Station Master of Mahera Railway Station in Mirzapur Upazila of Tangail, Rakibul Hasan said that there are 30 unsafe rail crossings from Ibrahimabad Railway Station in Tangail to Mirzapur Railway Station in Tangail. He hopes that the double line work will be done soon on this railway line. If the double line is done, all these unsafe rail crossings will be made safe soon.
Assistant Station Master of Gharinda Railway Station in Tangail, Md. Touhidur Rahman said that the railway authorities will work quickly on the unsafe rail crossings from Ibrahimabad to Mirzapur.
