Reckless driving led to a deadly accident at Chittagong’s Chandgaon when a minibus strayed on the tracks to be rammed by a train. Four passengers died in the crash. Six others were injured.
Witnesses said the driver had seen the approaching train, but still tried to cross the unsafe level-crossing taking a huge risk. They say he was listening to music on his earphones while driving.However, the crossing, which is locally known as ‘Bahir Signal’, near the Janali Haat Railway Station is under the Bangladesh Railway authority. But no gateman has been deputed there for the last three years.
All the victims are workers of Base Textile Mill situated at Kalurghat industrial zone in the port city. They were on their way work on the bus rented by the factory.
The engine of the bus had malfunctioned and stopped right on the railway tracks when driver Didarul Alam, 32, tried to clear the level-crossing even after seeing the train.
Locals, however, caught Alam while he tried to flee after the vehicle got stuck. He was later taken to Chandgaon Police Station.
Railway east zone Chief Engineer AKM Mahbub-ul Alam Prodhan told bdnews24.com: “The driver was negligent. He had his earphones on (listening songs) and he tried to flee leaving the bus on the tracks.”
Prodhan is leading the five-strong higher-level investigation committee formed by the railway authorities to probe the accident. The authorities have also formed another five-member probe team headed by divisional transport official Firoze Iftekhar.
Both committees have been asked to submit their findings within three days.
Meanwhile, railway authorities have already suspended two officials.
Janali Haat Railway Station’s Station Master Nezam Uddin and pointsman Titu Kanti Pal were temporarily suspended for negligence of duty. Both were absent at the station when the accident took place.
Railway officials said the Chittagong-bound train, coming from Dohazari, was running at less than 20 kms as it had just left the Janali Haat station. If its speed was higher, then number of dead would have been more, they said.
One of the injured at the hospital, garment worker Namita Rudra, 18, told bdnews24.com: “There were at least 25 passengers when the bus was on its way to the factory.”
“The driver was driving very fast. We had asked him to not cross the level-crossing when we saw the incoming train. But he did.”
Witnesses said after the bus got stuck, the train had slammed its right side and dragged the bus along quite a distance.
Four women workers died on the spot. They have been identified as Yasmin Akhter, 22, Ria Akhter, 20, Julie Akhter, 30, and Lucky Debnath, 25.
Locals rushed towards the vehicle right away and broke its rear window to pull out the other passengers.
Witnesses also claimed that the driver had his earphones on. – bdnews24.com
