The tragic electrocution of three students from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) in Sreepur, Gazipur, on a picnic trip has left the country in profound shock and mourning. What was intended to be a joyful trip turned into an indescribable tragedy, claiming the lives of Meer Mozammel, Mubtasin Rahman Mahin and Jobair Alam Shakib and leaving 15 others injured. This incident indicates stark gaps in public safety, transportation oversight and infrastructure maintenance, emphasising the urgent need for systemic reform.
The incident unfolded when one of the six double-decker buses carrying students tilted slightly to make way for another vehicle, bringing it into contact with an 11,000-volt high-voltage wire. This tragic incident, which took the lives of three students, resulted from a chain of avoidable failures at several stages.
The first and most evident issue is the choice of vehicle. Double-decker buses are not suitable for certain roads, in particular, those with low-hanging electrical wires. The decision by the university to rent such vehicles and by the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) authorities concerned to provide them without satisfactory route assessment, indicate a lack of farsightedness and answerability. Educational institutions have a duty of care to their students and the failure to conduct a thorough risk analysis for the trip is not excusable.
Equallyalarming is the state of public infrastructure. Live high-voltage wires hanging hazardously low along a public road expose a lack of maintenance and controlling execution by the utility provider, Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samity. Electrical infrastructure in densely populated areas must adhere to strict safety standards to avert incidents of this nature. The presence of such a danger on a busy route exemplifies negligence.
Safety is a collaborative responsibility that needs
unwavering commitment from all stakeholders, with
management frames,
educational institutions and utility providers
The aftermath of the tragedy has prompted the formation of two committees for investigation, one by the Gazipur District Commissioner and the other by IUT’s authorities concerned. Although this is an essential step, these investigations must be more than an administrative exercise. Their findings should be made public and solid measures must follow to address the systemic failures exposed by this tragedy.
Significant reforms are imperative. Firstly, transport authorities concerned and organisations must make clear practices for selecting suitable vehicles for public trips, with mandatory route clearance check. Secondly, utility providers must ensure all electrical lines are safely lifted up, in particular, in areas with regular vehicular movement. Thirdly, strict execution of safety guidelines by local authorities concerned is necessary to avert such incidents.
The loss of fresh lives is a pain no family, community, or nations should undergo. This tragedy is a glaring reminder that negligence—whether in transportation planning, infrastructure management, or institutional oversight—has shocking consequences. Safety is a collaborative responsibility that needs unwavering commitment from all stakeholders, with management frames, educational institutions and utility providers.
As we lament the lives lost, let us honour their memory by ensuring no similar tragedy happens in the future. Let this incident be the catalyst for meaningful action, reminding us that safeguarding lives must always take precedence over convenience or cost. Lives must not ever again be imperiled by preventable negligence.
