Unsafe journey of safe train



Mobinul Islam, Special Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Train is considered as one of the safest transport in the world. This huge vehicle runs with thousands of passengers. Moreover, as the fare is relatively low compared to other transport, it is also popular among people of all professions.

The first railway in Bangladesh was established in 1862 by the British. Bangladesh did not exist then. On 15 November of the same year, Eastern Bengal Railway, the predecessor of Bangladesh Railway, opened the first railway line extending from Darshana Railway Station to Jagati Railway Station.

Being safe and economical, its popularity gradually increased. The length of railway lines has increased. New districts and upazilas have been brought under the network of railways. Many places have changed from single lines to double lines.

Railways are still the main means of transport for people in neighboring India. There, the development of railways in Bangladesh has repeatedly stalled due to corruption, mismanagement, lack of planning and years of losses. Although the development of railways has been noticed recently, its safety is still neglected.

The biggest railway accident in the history of the country took place on January 15, 1989. 170 passengers were killed when two trains collided head on at Mazukhan near Tongi. Another 400 people were injured. On February 2 of the same year, a train derailed near Chattogram, killing 13 people and injuring 200.

In addition, on March 22, 1983, 60 people were killed when a few spans broke while crossing the bridge near Ishwardi, 27 people died in a fire in the coach of Simanta Express bound for Parbatipur from Khulna on January 13, 1985, 25 people fell into the river when the train derailed near Bheramara on March 15, 1986 due to vandalism by the Sarbahara party. On January 13, a local train from Goalundo to Parbatipur, standing at Hili station, was hit by the Simanta express from Syedpur to Khulna. More than 50 passengers of two trains lost their lives in the head-on collision. Innocent passengers lose their lives every year in train accidents.

On August 5, 2023, the Shipping and Communication Reporters' Forum (SCRF) identified nine causes of accidents through monitoring and discussions with experts on rail transport systems and accidents.

The reasons are:

Indifference of the authorities, defects in signaling system, dangerous level crossings, addition of extra coaches to the engine capacity, shortage of stones in the railway line, dangerous railway bridges, lack of modern technology, shortage of manpower and shaky track as well as use of various materials including low quality sleepers and fishplates in the railway line.

Recently two new factors have been added to this. Train accident due to bending of railway line and breaking of equalizer beam in summer.

On March 4 of this year, at least 15 feet of railway line was seen bending near Azampur station of Akhaura upazila of Brahmanbaria on Sylhet-Dhaka railway. If the railway line bends in the relatively mild heat of March, it is a matter of consideration how safe the train journey will be in the scorching heat of April and May.

On Wednesday (April 17), the derailment occurred due to the breakage of the equalizer beam of the Dhaka-bound Jamuna Express train which left Tarakandi in Jamalpur, according to railway rescue workers. If this is correct the question remains as to the competence of those involved in its maintenance. Otherwise their extreme indifference is noticeable.

The intense heat wave is sweeping over various parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka, which may continue for a few more days. As a result, the risk is increasing in trains, which are known as the safest means of transportation. Fatal accidents can occur due to overheating of railway tracks.

Mehdi Hasan Tarek, Assistant Executive Engineer of Akhaura Section, said that the temperature of 45 to 46 degrees Celsius is tolerable on the railway line. If somehow the temperature of the track rises to 48 to 50 degrees Celsius, then passenger trains have to run at a maximum speed of 40 kmph and freight trains at a maximum speed of 30 kmph. Otherwise, due to excessive heat, the railway line may bend somewhere and cause a fatal accident. In that case, if the temperature of the railway line is regularly monitored and measures are not taken, the possibility of a major accident cannot be ruled out at any time.

   

Case filed for trafficking Chakma girl to China



District Correspondent, Barta24.com, Rangamati
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The victim's sister approached the police stating that Pahari Chakma picked up the girl and detained her in the capital and tried to smuggle her to China. On Wednesday (May 1) afternoon, a case was filed under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act at Naniarchar police station in Rangamati with a request to rescue the girl.

In this case, four women traffickers and four male traffickers have been named as a total of eight people and 4/5 others have been named as accused. Nanyarchar police confirmed the case to the reporter. The police said that they are unable to give the details of the accused for the sake of investigation.

In the statement of the case, the victim's sister mentioned that her younger sister, 21-year-old Beauty Chakma (pseudonym), was taken to Dhaka on April 1 in the name of admitting her to nursing. First, she was taken out of her home in Garjantali village of Burighat union under Naniarchar police station of Rangamati and taken to Jurachari Benuban area of Ghilachari union of Naniarchar. Later, she was taken from there to Dhaka in a microbus.

In the statement of the case, the plaintiff mentioned that beauty Chakma, who is studying nursing, realized that she was in the clutches of women traffickers from the conversation of the accused while going to the microbus.

Proposing the case, the girl's elder sister said that a group of women traffickers led by one Rika Chakma forced Beauty into marriage with a Chinese national and also took offensive pictures with her. She can be smuggled to China at any time from her detention in an undisclosed location in the capital.

On April 7, Beauty told her elder sister this information on the phone and told her to rescue her. The elder sister of the victim filed a case of human trafficking after informing the Naniarchar Police Station in written form.

Azamuddin Mahmud, officer-in-charge of Naniarchar police station confirmed the fact of filing the case and told the reporter that based on the written complaint of the victim's sister, a case has been registered under section 6/7/8 of Human Trafficking and Prevention Act 2018. Case No-1 Date: 01/05/2024 Eng. Necessary action will be taken after investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, Rangamati Additional Superintendent of Police Maruf Ahmed said that the local administration was shaken by the news of the trafficking of mountain women from Chattogram Hill Tracts to China. Rangamati police have already started to catch the members of the trafficking ring.

In response to the reporter's question, he said that the matter of trafficking of women from the mountains to China has come to the attention of Rangamati police in the media recently. The Additional Superintendent of Police also said that the matter is very sensitive and the police is diligently investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, according to the source of the case, it is known that the mastermind behind the trafficking of the mountain Chakma girl to China is a Chakma woman named Rika Chakma living in sector 14 of Dhaka Uttara. Her house is in Rangapani Harma village under Dighinala upazila of Khagrachari district. In this case, one man and one woman from Kamarpara of Sapchari Union under Rangamati Sadar Upazila, two women from Udal Bagan area of Khagrachari, and two men of unknown address have been mentioned in the case statement.

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Woman worker killed by her husband on Labor Day



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Savar(Dhaka)
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The police have arrested the husband of a garment worker in connection with the death of his wife due to a family dispute in Savar's Ashulia on May Day. The police recovered the body of the deceased and sent it for post-mortem.

On Wednesday (May 1) evening, the police recovered the body of the victim from Ashulia Women and Children's Hospital.

Deceased Maina Begum (60) lived in a rented house with her family in North Ghazirachat area of Ashulia. She worked as a cleaner in a local Grameen knitwear garment factory.

Arrested husband Taimur Rahman (65) is a day laborer by profession. Their village home is in Nirapara village of Niamatpur police station in Naogoan district.

Citing the victim's family, the police said that in the afternoon, due to a family quarrel, Maina Begum was beaten up by her husband. Later, when she was taken to the hospital with injuries, the doctor on duty declared her dead. The police also said that the body of the deceased had the marks of punch injuries.

Sub- Inspector (SI) of Ashulia police station Badiuzzaman told Barta 24.com that the dead body has been recovered and sent for autopsy. There was a quarrel between them due to the financial crisis in the family. The process of filing a case is ongoing with the victim's family as the plaintiff.

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The coolies rush to the platform as the train's whistle sounds



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Rajshahi
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Rajshahi Railway Station. which has become the heart of daily life for many. Here Ghulam Mustafa, Afzal, Sharif, Kamal and about 40 coolies run with different trains every day. Their job is to carry passengers' heavy luggage. At the sound of the train's whistle, they ran to the platform, in one breath.

Their competition begins to see who can get into the train compartment first. Who can lift the goods in his troly first. They stand in front of the train and ask the passengers to carry the goods. Their lives have been going on like this for ages, months after months.

Not only at Rajshahi railway station; This image is seen in medium to large railway stations almost all over the country.

This daily rush is not only a part of their professional life, but it is an essential part of their family life.

The workers said that with the increase in the price of goods, their income is not increasing. The income is three to four hundred takas a day. But; It costs 500 to 600 taka. It is running out of water to bring salt. But they are happy to earn in halal way even with low income.

Golam Mostafa, who has been involved in this profession for the past 45 years, said that our daily run is actually a struggle for bread and sustenance for our family. A train is a symbol of our hope.

These porters not only carry the luggage but also provide a reliable support to the passengers. The scope of work of these employees of Rajshahi station is wide ranging from arrival to departure of trains. Another worker (coolie) named Afzal said, We develop a bond with each passenger, which in some cases gets stronger with time.

Another worker Kamal said, the risk in this profession is not less; we carry heavy baggage every day, which puts a strain on our physical health. But this work for family is essential for us.

This daily scene at Rajshahi railway station is not just a picture of a platform; it is a familiar scene at many railway stations in Bangladesh, where coolies like Golam Mostafa go out of their way to serve passengers every day.

These regular scenes at Rajshahi railway station are similar to other railway stations in Bangladesh, where coolies are fighting for their families every day. Their life and professional responsibilities are like a mocking challenge, which they need not only for financial security, but also for their contribution as part of a society.

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"The poor have no hot or cold, what will they eat if they don't work"



Gulshan Jahan Sarika, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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People's life has been disturbed by the intense heat wave that is sweeping over the country. Everyone, young and old, is short of breath in the intense heat. Although no one goes out of the house except for urgent needs, the workers are working in such heat because of their stomachs. One of them is Anjura Begum, who is fifty years old.

Anjura Begum, who works as a mason in the scorching heat, told Barta24.com that her entire family is supported by her earnings alone. Even though she cannot work for a long time due to her age, she continues to work hard while looking after her family.

If you work in the hot sun for a long time, you will get sick. She said, the poor do not have hot and cold, what will they eat if they do not work? I have to run the family with the money that I earn from daily wages.

She also said, I don't have energy like before, but because of my stomach I have to go out every day in search of work. When there is work, food comes, if not, you have to starve.

She lamented that it is difficult to work due to age. People don't even want to employ her because of her age. Even if you go for old age pension, you will not get government pension because you are not yet old. If she does not come to work, the stove does not burn. It is very difficult to run a family with the money you get as a daily wage.

Anjura Begum, who lost everything and came from Shyamnagar in Satkhira, said that her husband used to work in fishing and collecting honey in the Sundarbans. They had their own houses and cultivated land. But in the happy life, sadness came in the flood of 2000. The river dam broke and the house was washed away in one night. Destitute, she took her husband's hand with her two little daughters and moved to Satkhira town. There, the two started working as day laborers to run the family from a rented house. After a few years, the husband fell ill. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Then pregnant Anjura Begum fell on the stone.

After selling everything that was in the village, she treated her husband with a sigh and said that her husband died in 2013 after a few months of the birth of her little girl in poverty. A well-to-do family offers accommodation in exchange for domestic work. She turned grief into strength to run the family in the pursuit of livelihood and started working as a laborer.

Anjura Begum said, we do not work less than men. Yet our women workers are being paid less than men. Why are we discriminated against?

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