Sagar Biswas :
When drives are going on to evict illegal establishments at level-crossings, the Dhaka South City Corporation [DSCC] is running a kitchen market at Khilgaon level crossing apparently taking advantage of relax mood of the Railway Ministry.
In the wake of huge criticism, the concerned ministry started an eviction drive at the city level-crossings following the death of 11 people including two women at Karwan Bazar when a train ploughed through a crowded makeshift market on the track on September 11.
But the railway officials did not touch the Khilgaon kitchen market till the date for unknown reason.
And surprisingly, the railway minister himself also does not know about the existence of the kitchen market, which is situated hardly one kilometer away from central railway station at Kamalpur and just beneath the Khilgaon Flyover.
“I don’t know about the kitchen market at Khilgaon level- crossing. However, I will take stern action if anyone complains to me about the illegal establishment,” Minister for Railways Md Mazibul Hoque told The New Nation on Monday night.
Will you take immediate step to demolish the market established by City Corporation? The minister replied, “Just wait and see. At first, I need a written complain from anyone through official procedure.”
There is widespread allegation that the railway ministry now passes time in ‘no problem’ mood, although the Khilgaon kitchen market at level-crossing has been contributing to frequent train accidents and loss of lives almost often.
It is unbelievable, at present most officials of railway ministry are quite busy to distribute invitation cards of the wedding ceremony of Md Mazibul Hoque, a 67-year-old-minister, on October 31!
Probably the minister along with his ministry staff will remain busy nowadays for the wedding reception on No
vember 14 and than arrangement for minister’s honeymoon, said an official requesting anonymity.
Several persons were killed and countless people received injuries at Khilgaon level crossing in the last few years due to huge gathering of buyers in the kitchen market on both sides of railway track.
However, Yusuf Ali Sardar, Deputy Chief Revenue Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation [DSCC], who is solely responsible for authorizing city corporation’s market, refused to make any comment about the kitchen market.
Sources said a section of dishonest officials of DSCC run the kitchen market being backed by some ruling party leaders and getting patronization from the corrupt railway officials apparently disobeying the existing law.
Expressing deep frustration Kamalapur Railway Station Manager Khairul Bashir said that apart from railway authority, the local people and law enforcing agencies must take initiatives to prevent such illegal business on the railway tracks.
According to data provided by Bangladesh Railway [BR], at least two dozens of illegal makeshift markets have been running adjacent to the level crossings in different parts of the capital city Dhaka despite ongoing eviction drive.
The BR statistics also said on the average 40 accidents occur every year resulting in nearly 30 deaths due to accidents at unattended level crossings.
