The authorities are yet to determine the details of how a window of a metro train was broken a month after the incident took place.
Police and Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) sources said the investigation is still ongoing and they are yet to determine whether the incident was an accident or if there was a motive. Meanwhile, the incident has raised questions among passengers of how safe the metro rail is.
Enam Hossain, a regular metro rail passenger, said: "On the day of the inauguration, we saw that the Prime Minister boarded the metro train. However, it was possible to crack the glass of this train. Even if no major incident has happened, who can guarantee that this incident will not be repeated?"
Jannatul Baker, employee of a private company and another regular passenger, said: "I know that metro trains and railways have been built with advanced technology, advanced machinery and materials. Even on the day of the inauguration, the prime minister herself confirmed the matter to the common people by riding the metro train. The stone pelting and glass breaking are disappointing for us.''
The passengers called for exemplary punishment for those responsible for breaking the window.
Kafrul Police Station Inspector (Operation) Abdul Baten, investigation officer of the case over the metro train window incident, said: "Several buildings from where the stones could have been thrown have been identified. Several people have been interrogated. No one has been identified so far."
He assured that the matter was being looked into and the media would be informed of any developments in the case.
A senior official of DMTCL questioned whether there may have been an insidious motive behind the breaking of the metro rail train window.
Regarding security, he said: "Metro trains have been built with advanced technology to ensure proper safety. The prime minister has also boarded the metro train. The matter of breaking the glass with a rock definitely calls into question the security issue. I do not know whether the windows of the metro train are bullet proof or not. Since the investigation is still ongoing, the details will be given only after investigation.”
According to the plans of DMTCL in 2021, the compartments of metro trains were to be built with reusable aluminium alloys, and the windows were to be bullet-proof.
However, the windows were eventually built with tempered glass.
The train runs at a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour and uses regenerative electric brakes.
Difference between bullet proof and tempered glass
Bangla TribuneTempered glass can guarantee safety under low-energy impact at the most laminated and monolithic level, while bullet-proof glass can withstand high-energy impact (ballistic impact). Bulletproof glass is also more resistant to penetration and shattering.
DMTCL Director (Operation and Maintenance) Nasir Uddin Ahmed said: "The glass of metro train windows is not bullet-proof. However, it is a special glass that cannot be penetrated directly even if the glass is damaged by stones or heavy objects from outside being thrown at it. The Dhaka metro train is made like it is done in other countries."
On April 30, stones were thrown from a building on the eastern side of the metro rail leaving from Shewrapara in the capital before entering Kazipara station. A window of the metro rail was damaged, with the repairs costing Tk10 lakh.
Following the incident, Samiul Qadir, assistant manager (line operations), filed a case with Kafrul police station on behalf of the Metro rail authorities.
