No gateman even after last month's fatal accident

Over three weeks after the fatal accident that killed four policemen and left seven others injured, Dhelapir rail crossing in Parbatipur-Saidpur railway section near Saidpur railway station in the district still remains without gate or gateman.

The casualties occurred on the night of August 15 when a patrol van carrying the policemen crashed, being hit by Dhaka bound intercity Nilsagar Express train at the open level crossing.

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) and the police formed separate inquiry committees after the incident and both focused on the vulnerability of the level crossing.

Thousands of people and vehicles have to cross the point daily as two well-known markets, Dhelapir Haat and Porar Haat, are situated on its two sides, which also comprises a residential area.

Dhelapir rail crossing has remained without gate and gateman since 1985 when the then government sent a large number of railway officers and employees to retirement under 'golden handshake' programme, said railway sources in Saidpur and locals.

Chairman of concerned Botlagari union parishad of Saidpur upazila Saidur Rahman said, "After the accident at Dhelapir rail crossing on August 15, I submitted an application to Khairul Alam, general manager of West Zone of BR, to set up a gate and appoint a gateman but there is no response till now."

Visiting the spot on Saturday noon, this correspondent found a railway department's signboard on its both sides warning people to cross the rail gate at own responsibility.

The area is surrounded with bamboo clusters and bushy trees that create obstacle for passers-by and vehicle drivers to see approaching trains.

Tohidul Islam, senior assistant engineer of railway works department at Saidpur, said many unsafe rail crossings were created as Roads and Highways Department and Local Government and Engineering Department built roads through the rail tracks without approval from the railway authorities.

Shawkat Jamil, divisional transport officer of West Zone of BR at Pakshi, said the department identified risky crossings in 54-km long Parbatipur-Chilahati railway section and those include Dhelapir rail crossing.

"We've started development work at the risky spots which is likely to be completed by June 2017. Posting of gatemen at the crossings is underway," he added.