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Editorial

A tragic train crash

Identify and remove the causes of the accident


Bangladeshpost
Published : 13 Nov 2019 06:27 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 01:24 AM

We are deeply concerned at the fatal train accident that took place on November 12 in Brahmanbaria’s Kashba upazila. The accident which left at least 16 people dead and a hundred others injured took place when Chattogram-bound Udayan Express from Sylhet and Dhaka-bound Turna Nishita Express from Chattogram collided at Mondobhag Railway Station in Kashba around 3am. Indeed, such an accident exposes the tottering state of our railway sector run by inadequate and incompetent manpower

It is good to learn that already three probe committees have been formed to investigate the incident—two by railways ministry and one by district administration. We hope that the committees will submit their reports as soon as possible. Now what the government needs to do on a priority basis is to identify the exact reasons for the deadly accident. 


Such a deadly accident exposes

 the tottering state of our railway 

sector run by inadequate

 and incompetent manpower


According to newspaper reports, a total of 244 people died and 228 were injured in 235 rail related fatalities in 2018, and most of the fatalities occurred as trains ran over people at unprotected level crossing and tracks. And the absurd reason for such an increasing number of rail-related fatalities is that two-thirds of Bangladesh Railway’s 1,412 level crossings have no designated gatemen and there is no siren system at most of the level crossing in Bangladesh. However, experts have identified five major reasons behind the rise in rail accidents—use of mobile phones by pedestrians while crossing rail lines, lack of pedestrians’ awareness, negligence of railway employees, poor maintenance of level crossings, and poor maintenance of rail lines and bridges. 

No doubt all these factors have to be taken into consideration in order to reduce the chances of such accidents.  It is saddening to note that Bang­ladesh Railway has been providing the services with a network which is not suitable for and oriented to the traffic requirements of the country. Bangladesh’s railway network, which was introduced by the British in 19th century primarily to advance their colonial and economic interests, has not seen any ray of development even after the attainment of independence in 1971. It is high time that the government takes necessary measures to turn the railway into a safe mode of transport. The existing rail engines, compartments and services need to be replaced with modern engines and everything else. But a modern railway does not mean new machinery and equipment only. For the new generation speedy trains we need good and solid tracks and digitalised signalling system as well as well trained manpower. While new generation trained manpower has to be recruited, the mindset of the old staffs will need to be changed and they will need extensive training to be able to operate digitalised modern rail engines and signals.