At a time when the deteriorating conditions of rail tracks have already made rail routes accident-prone causing recurring human tragedy, it is alarming to learn that wooden planks and bamboo sticks are being used in repairing and maintaining the dilapidated Teesta Rail Bridge in Lalmonirhat instead of using proper equipment. Reportedly, Tk4 lakh is annually allocated for the upkeep of the Teesta Rail Bridge, and yet those responsible for the task are using wooden planks, bamboo cane, and dry tree branches as makeshift replacements at various points on the bridge.
It is alleged that many nuts and bolts are missing in several parts of the bridge, while many of the wooden sleepers are damaged. This raises serious questions about the accountability of those responsible for its upkeep and the effective use of the funds annually allocated for the maintenance of the bridge. Passengers rightly expressed their concern that this glaring example of corruption and indifference towards passenger safety may cause a fatal train accident at any moment.
Bangladesh Railway, long considered to be the safest mode of transport, is now increasingly becoming a cause for concern and considered unsafe. Over the past five years, more than 2,000 accidents have occurred, claiming the lives of over 150 passengers and injuring around 500 more. The situation has worsened in recent months, with 160 accidents, including sabotage, reported just in the last four months alone. These incidents resulted in 18 fatalities and 200 injuries. The figures paint a grim picture of the railway's safety record and do nothing to dispel anxieties felt by the travelling public.
According to Bangladesh Railway's own findings, deteriorating tracks - replacement of those being long overdue - and dilapidated bridges cause approximately 63 per cent of all rail accidents. This critical infrastructure suffers from a lack of proper maintenance, putting the lives and limbs of passengers constantly at risk. The findings also reveal widespread rusting of iron sleepers, broken and rotten wooden sleepers, missing joint clips, and loosened nuts and bolts, with many connection points completely detached. These chronic failures in proper maintenance not only raise the risk of accidents but also cause significant delays in train operations.
Against this backdrop, the incidents relating to Teesta Rail Bridge provides indisputable proof of the common allegation that massive amounts of money are plundered from government funds, allocated for the construction or maintenance of public sector infrastructure.
This is not the first reported incident of the use of bamboo to replace iron rods, or the use of substandard materials, in government infrastructure projects. Such allegation also surfaces from time to time regarding construction of roads, bridges, or buildings, raising serious concerns about overall structural integrity and public safety. Government action, however, has so far gone no further than warning the errant contractors and officials. The authorities must probe much deeper and act decisively to stem the snowballing corruption in nearly all areas of governance.
That said many ambitious initiatives are underway to expand and improve the rail service. If corruption and mismanagement persist, it is most likely that these dreams will transform into nightmares and no improvements made. Therefore, a lot depends on the sincerity of the people responsible for managing the BR affairs. If their primary intention is to plunder instead of making rail service a safe, viable, comfortable, and reliable option for travellers, the BR won't ever be able to get out of the mess. It is time the authorities concerned took a serious look into the matter and put the railway system back on track, prevent lives from being lost, or maimed, and confidence in rail travel restored.
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