Country’s about 115 railway stations have been lying inoperative since long. Therefore, a large number of people are being deprived of getting facilities of transportation of goods at lower cost.
Reportedly, Bangladesh Railway cannot operate 43 stations in east zone while 72 in west zone due to what they say “shortage of manpower”. These closed stations have now turned into safe haven for muggers, vagabonds and addicts as there is no activity to supervise and maintain them.
As the buildings and other infrastructures constructed for railway stations are left vacant and abandoned, they have become vulnerable. Many cracks have developed in these buildings and infrastructures. On the other hand, grabbing of lands adjacent to the closed and abandoned stations is also going unabated by local political influential and hoodlums even after repeated eviction drives were conducted.
The government should reopen all closed
stations as soon
as possible
It is worth mentioning that Bangladesh Nationalist Party-Jamaat government had tried to stop the railway communication to give their men scope to do transportation business. They also had stopped many railway stations and gave ‘golden handshake’ to over 10,000 skilled workers of the railway as their move to stop the railway communication.
The government should reopen all closed stations as soon as possible and oust grabbers from the abandoned stations. Necessary measures should be taken to improve maintenance of the railway properties and build capacity of the staff through revise training methodology.
Also, the government must recruit stationmasters, staffs and guards to resume operation of closed stations. The government should further strengthen rail communication throughout the country to ensure transportation of goods and people at a lower cost.
Once Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge over Jamuna is constructed, the country’s socio-economic advancement would surely take place. We believe when our country will be connected with the Trans Asian communications networks, the importance of Bangladesh would increase and the overall socio-economic development will get further pace.