Staff Reporter :
Accidents on the railway tracks, especially at level crossings, have become frequent across the country, causing deaths and injuries to people due to illegal crossings, lack of gatekeepers and public awareness.
According to BR sources, there are about 2,606 level crossings in the country. Of these, 1,249 level crossings (including 978 legal and 271 illegal crossings) are in the East Zone.
Around 1,357 level crossings in the Western Zone of Bangladesh Railway are lying without barriers at
places that have seen many fatal accidents over the years. Only 221 of them have barriers and are guarded.
There are only 221 guards or gatemen for 987 legal crossings. On the other hand, there are only 191 gatemen for 1,355 level crossings, including 510 legal and 845 illegal.
They added these illegal level crossings had been constructed by different government bodies such as Local Government Engineering Division, Roads and Highways Department, City Corporations and District Councils without taking permission from the Railway authorities. Some private organisations had also built many level crossings illegally.
At least 415 people were killed and 549 others injured in 283 recorded accidents at different level crossings in last seven years.
Besides, 238 lives were lost in 2014 by train crashes in Dhaka Railway Police Station region. Of them, 160 people were killed in capital city Dhaka.
Talking to this reporter, a high official admitted the limitations of the BR saying, “Only 379 out of 1,413 authorized level crossings have gatekeepers and there are no gatekeepers for the rest.”
He said they are doing their level best to appoint gatekeepers to all the level crossings gradually. In reply to a query, he said it was not possible to close the level crossings built illegally.
“Not only the gatemen, the mass people have also faults. Some time gatekeepers do not carry out their duties, but the drivers and mass people are often found crossing the railway lines defying the signals,” he said.
Some of the risky level crossings include Khilgaon, Malibagh, Moghbazar, Karwan Bazar, Mohakhali, Khilkhet, Kuril Bishwa Road, Kawla, Haji Camp, Kasaibari-1, Kasaibari-2, Tongi Bridge, East Arichpur, South Arichpur, Ahsan Ullah Flyover-close and so on.
Eight people, including three children, were killed on Thursday afternoon as a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train rammed a three-wheeler at an unmanned level crossing in Bakkikhan area of Gazipur while five others were killed when a train collided with a human hauler at Pagla rail crossing in Narayanganj the same day.
Moreover, it has been observed that 50 per cent of deaths caused because of careless jaywalkers. They walk on rail tracks often talking on mobile phones or using headphones. This makes it difficult for them to hear the alarms.
Md Amzad Hossain, Director General of the Bangladesh Railway, told The New Nation that only 1,413 out of total 2,606 level crossings were set up by the Railway Department while the rest were illegal.
He said different bodies had illegally constructed 1,128 level crossings in different points across the country.
Kamrul Ahsan, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Railway Range said that careless of people is the main reason for train accidents.
“Railway tracks are not for the walkways or living places of people. But the ignorant people are doing the opposite and so the accidents are taking place,” he said.
