Writ seeks HC directive on illegal level crossings

A Supreme Court lawyer today filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directive on the government to take necessary steps to save the lives of people from unprotected and illegal level crossings across the country.

Advocate Aklas Uddin Bhuiyan submitted the petition to the HC and requested the court to pass an order on the authorities concerned of the government to evict the illegal and risky rail crossings in order to prevent rail accidents.

Citing reports from newspapers and BUET's Accident Research Institute (ARI), the petition said that a total of 244 people died and 228 were injured in 235 rail related fatalities in 2018 as many of 1,412 level crossings of Bangladesh Railway have no designated gatemen and are vulnerable.

A total of 69 people died and 46 others were injured in 56 incidents in 10 months (March to December) of 2016 while 229 died and 156 injured in 211 incidents in 2017, but, the authorities have not taken necessary steps to prevent such accidents, the petitioner said in the petition.

Advocate Aklas stated in the petition that only 466 gates among 1,412 level crossings have gatekeepers while 946 gates have no designated man. Among 434 gates in Railway's East Zone, 245 have gatemen while only 221 out of 978 gates in West Zone have guards.

Of the 1,085 unauthorised level crossings, 811 are in East Zone while 274 in West Zone, he said in the petition.

He also said in the petition that the government is supposed to take ensure railway security in order to save lives as per sections 13, 14 and 128 of the Bangladesh Railway Act 1980, the necessary steps are not being taken.

Advocate Aklas told reporters that the HC may hear the petition very soon.