Trains are considered economical and safe transportation across the globe. But frequent accidents, snatching and stone pelting have made train travel unsafe and dangerous in our country.
According to a Prothom Alo report, an incident occurred where the 'Karnaphuli Commuter' train, departing from Chattogram, was targeted by snatchers around 10:00 pm on Thursday at Tongi Railway Junction in Gazipur. The attackers threw stones at the train as it stopped near the junction's outer signal. This sudden assault with stones caused panic among the passengers on board.
A video captured the unsettling scene where passengers, standing inside a train compartment during the night, were surprised by the continuous barrage of thrown stones through the windows. This unexpected attack led to immediate chaos within the compartment. To protect themselves from the stones, some passengers resorted to lying on the train floor. Additionally, a train ticket collector (TT) was assaulted and stabbed during the incident. Furthermore, the attackers snatched mobile phones from several passengers.
As per information from both Tongi East Police Station and Railway Police, when trains halt at signals, robbers concealed along the railway tracks seize passengers' mobile phones and gold items. If resisted, they resort to stabbing and pelting stones. Commuters who frequently use the train and residents nearby affirm that the railway route from Dhaka's airport station to Joydebpur is becoming increasingly unsafe for travellers.
The outer signal, which is about 1 km away from Tongi station in Gazipur, is the specific location where these attacks on the train often occur. What actions are the railway and police taking to make this area safer? The safety of passengers falls under the responsibility of the railway authorities.
Instead of just counting the injured or the number of stolen phones from the Thursday attack, it's important to understand why these robbery and stone-throwing incidents keep happening during public commute. Why did the railway authorities not take appropriate measures, even though they were aware of the specific location where nighttime trains were being attacked and robbed?
This isn't the first incident of hurling stones and robbery on trains. In 2020, robbers killed Rakibul Islam, an employee of a private company, while he was traveling from Chattogram to Dhaka. In 2018, Bayezid, a railway inspector, was seriously hurt and unfortunately passed away 41 days after miscreants threw stones at him on a commuter train on Benapole Road in Khulna. Also, in Syedpur, a young child's eye was permanently damaged due to stones thrown by these assailants.
The question remains: despite the repeated occurrences of stone pelting and robbery on trains, what actions are the railway authorities taking? If passengers aren't secure while using this public transport, where can they find safety? Throwing stones at a moving train is a serious crime. As stated in Section 127 of the Railway Act, the highest punishment is life imprisonment accompanied by a fine of Tk 10,000. Additionally, according to Section 302, if someone loses their life due to stone pelting, the provision for death penalty is in place.
In last Thursday's incident, the police apprehended 9 individuals who were involved in the event. The police officers themselves stated that these individuals had previous arrests for robbery. How much longer will this cycle of chasing and evading continue? If these are repeat offenders, why haven't they faced trial? Passenger safety leaves no room for excuses. Security must be strengthened in locations where robbery and stone pelting are frequent. If needed, areas prone to danger should be monitored with CCTV cameras.