The fiery inferno that engulfed three compartments of the Mohanganj Express train on Tuesday morning has left not only four innocent lives lost, but also a trail of unanswered questions that cast a grim shadow over this tragedy.
It is unclear whether the train windows were open or closed, how the fire initiated in a moving carriage, the means by which other passengers in the compartment managed to escape, whether the doors between compartments were open or closed, and if the fire broke out before the train reached Tejgaon station.
Open or closed
The state of the train windows at the time of the fire remains unclear. Were they open, allowing easy ignition from external sources, or shut, raising questions about the fire's origin within the compartment?
The spark unseen
Where and how did the fire actually begin? Despite conflicting reports from the police and the fire service, a definitive answer remains elusive. Was it a smouldering cigarette carelessly discarded, or a flammable object intentionally placed?
Escape routes
Did the other passengers in the burning compartments have a clear path to safety? Were the doors operational, or did panicked scrambling become another hurdle in their desperate bid for survival?
Before or after Tejgaon?
The conflicting timelines offered by different authorities – the fire service placing the fire before Tejgaon station and the police suggesting it started after – add to the confusion.
What the authorities say
According to the fire service, the fire started in the moving train somewhere around Tejgaon station. However, the police reported that passengers noticed the fire as the train crossed the airport station and approached Khilkhet.
Tejgaon police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Mohsin said that passengers noticed the fire after the train crossed the airport station. The train was stopped at Tejgaon station after passengers raised the alarm.
“The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and efforts are being made to determine the root cause,” he added.
Fire Service Officer Shajahan Shikder, talking about the origin of the fire, said that the fire service unit found the train stationary when it arrived at the scene, leading the unit to believe that the fire originated near Tejgaon station. The unit successfully extinguished the fire at 6:45am.
The railway authorities said that a comprehensive explanation will be provided after the completion of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Railway Chief Planning Officer SM Salimullah Bahar said that an inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
On Tuesday night, a case was filed against unidentified accused at the Kamalapur Railway police station in connection with the arson.
Fire broke out inside
After visiting the injured admitted at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman said: “What we have learned from one of the injured is that those who were on board the train set the fire. The injured man told me that he saw that the first fire started on a seat and the fire spread slowly. As it was dawn, many were asleep. We saw a mother holding her child, perhaps trying to survive.”
Habibur Rahman held out the assurance that the authorities are committed to identifying and bringing the perpetrators to justice, emphasizing the collective efforts of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, CID, DB and Railway Police towards preventing future incidents.
Tuesday’s arson attack follows a previous instance of sabotage on the same Mohanganj Express train in Gazipur a week ago, claiming a life and injuring dozens. Miscreants had used a gas cutter to cut the rail tracks, causing seven coaches to derail on the Bankharia bridge of Gazipur on the Dhaka-Mymensingh route.
Since mid-November, Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in train violence incidents, ranging from derailments to deliberate acts of arson. Six incidents of arson attacks were reported while there were eight incidents of derailment.
