LIFE span of four unfortunate human beings was shortened in yet another rail accident in the city’s Karwan Bazar that occurred on Thursday evening leaving five others grievously injured. This unexpected death of four people is obviously more than just an accident. Locals blame a powerful syndicate which runs the illegal makeshift market along the rail track in Kawran Bazar from which a significant amount of toll is collected. It has been a most common question about public safety at the railway crossings not only in the capital but all over the country also.
Quoting the gatekeeper of Karwan Bazar level crossing, the reports said, fish vendors set up the illegal makeshift market every morning along the railway some one hundred yards away from the level crossing. There are widespread allegations that the corrupt railway staffs, unscrupulous politicians and profit-mongering traders are involved in running these illegal markets on train lines to realise a handsome amount of money using the name of Bangladesh Railway (BR). Some politically influential vested quarters have grabbed the railway land around the trail tracks and built shanties to rent to the poor people to make quick bucks. The makeshift shops on and along the track have been running for long, but the GRP and Tejgaon police have done nothing to stop the dangerous enterprise. Allegations have it that some members of the GRP and Tejgaon police share the toll collected from the shops.
Thus an unholy nexus of politicians, traders, railway staffs and members of the law enforcers is obvious though the BR DG denied the responsibility of his office saying that people were on the rail line illegally risking their lives. Officer-in-charge of Dhaka railway police also claimed to not know about the shops on railway track.
No doubt that the railway bodies must ensure the safety of the track, since it runs the train. Corruption, misuse of funds and misappropriation of railway properties are known to all as it is widely presumed to be the den of black cats. Railway is now thinking about some big projects involving a huge amount of money for its micro level change. Big projects with huge money usually opens the door to huge corruption. So the BR authority is less interested in micro level efficiency like security drives i.e. fencing its track from Narayangonj to Tongi or beyond (in densely populated areas). They are not eager enough about the public safety.
We strongly suggest that all the railway tracks and level crossings in the cities and across the country must be properly guarded to make the passengers’ traffic safe and public life secured. The happy marriage of the culprits who are liable for Kawran Bazar incident must be broken down and they must be brought to book.
Quoting the gatekeeper of Karwan Bazar level crossing, the reports said, fish vendors set up the illegal makeshift market every morning along the railway some one hundred yards away from the level crossing. There are widespread allegations that the corrupt railway staffs, unscrupulous politicians and profit-mongering traders are involved in running these illegal markets on train lines to realise a handsome amount of money using the name of Bangladesh Railway (BR). Some politically influential vested quarters have grabbed the railway land around the trail tracks and built shanties to rent to the poor people to make quick bucks. The makeshift shops on and along the track have been running for long, but the GRP and Tejgaon police have done nothing to stop the dangerous enterprise. Allegations have it that some members of the GRP and Tejgaon police share the toll collected from the shops.
Thus an unholy nexus of politicians, traders, railway staffs and members of the law enforcers is obvious though the BR DG denied the responsibility of his office saying that people were on the rail line illegally risking their lives. Officer-in-charge of Dhaka railway police also claimed to not know about the shops on railway track.
No doubt that the railway bodies must ensure the safety of the track, since it runs the train. Corruption, misuse of funds and misappropriation of railway properties are known to all as it is widely presumed to be the den of black cats. Railway is now thinking about some big projects involving a huge amount of money for its micro level change. Big projects with huge money usually opens the door to huge corruption. So the BR authority is less interested in micro level efficiency like security drives i.e. fencing its track from Narayangonj to Tongi or beyond (in densely populated areas). They are not eager enough about the public safety.
We strongly suggest that all the railway tracks and level crossings in the cities and across the country must be properly guarded to make the passengers’ traffic safe and public life secured. The happy marriage of the culprits who are liable for Kawran Bazar incident must be broken down and they must be brought to book.
