Home-goers travelling on train roofs amid risks

Lack of seats in train forced Jamalpur, Netrokona, Sherpur, Kishoreganj and Mymensigh-bound people to travel on roof top of speeding trains. To climb on the roof top of the trains home-bound people are paying local ladder owners as they are using ladders to get up on train roof. During his visit to Gazipur, Sreepur and Rajendrapur railway stations this correspondent has found that thousands of home-bound people of the district used to travel on train roof coming from Dhaka to their destinations. Emarat, a worker of ACI factory of Sreepur said: “I need to go home by any cost. I could not enter into the train due to heavy pressure of passengers. Now climbed on the roof by paying Tk40 to ladder owner.” Monir Hossain, a ladder owner of Rajendrapur railway station said: “Every year we helped people to climb on the train roof and they pay us for this.” Selim from Sreepur rail station said: “Every year ahead of Eid we have gathered in the station with ladders to help people though sometimes law enforcers chased us not to help people to ride on train roofs.” Abdul Motaleb, Assistant Station Master of Sreepur rail station told to the Dhaka Tribune, travelling on train roof are common things during the Eid season when transport crisis hit the peak as millions rush homes to celebrate the festival with their families.50 injured falling off train roof in SirajganjAbout 50 people fell off a train roof after being struck by overhead cable TV wires at Shahid M Monsur Ali Station on the west of Bangabandhu Bridge, Sirajganj yesterday. The Sundarban Express was travelling to Khulna from Dhaka. Railway officials said at least 50 people were injured after they were hit by precariously hanging illegal cable TV wires. The train slowed down as it was nearing the station, otherwise the number of victims could have been higher, police said. Kadda police outpost’s Assistant Town Sub-Inspector Abdur Rashid said about 20 of the yet unidentified injured were taken to local clinics and Sirajganj Sadar Hospital. The others continued their journey. Lack of seats force thousands to travel perched on top of speeding trains but many choose the dangerous form of ride to save money. Incidents of people falling off train roof are notoriously common during the Eid season when transport crisis hit the peak as millions rush homes to celebrate the festival or enjoy vacation with their families. Rashid said the train was overcrowded. “Many jumped off the roof fearing the overhead cable was an electric wire,” he said. Station Master Hamidul Islam Hira said local cable TV businesses did not pay heed to their requests to remove the cobweb of illegal wires running through the station. “We have notified our higher authorities about today’s incident,” he said. The Sundarban Express resumed its journey after about half an hour. Sirajganj Sadar Hospital’s Resident Medical Officer Dr Akramuzzaman said 15 of the injured had been admitted there. “Most of them are with broken limbs but none of them have died.”