Frequent schedule mess, over loading, erroneous railway tract and organised crime on board the trains have made the journey through various routes under West Zone railway hazardous in recent days.
Moreover, there are frequent untoward incidents on the trains during travelling. Recovery of dead bodies from roof of the train, recovery of drugs, clash among railway staff inside train regarding collection of ticket money and stealing of mobile phones have made the train passengers worried.
There are frequent and fatal incidents of injuries of train passengers by being hit with stone thrown from outside.
There was unprecedented mess in train schedule before and after the both Eids this year.
Many passengers said that they have to wait for hours, even for 10 to 12 hours, at the station to avail the train. The suffering of using toilets was the worst because the toilets of first class waiting rooms were only opened to the VIP passengers and first class and AC ticket holders were not allowed to use those. Passengers demanded more toilets should be made at railway station area of Rajshahi to ease the passengers demand.
According to a source of West zone railway, seven bodies were recovered by GRP police from over the roof of Rajshahi bound Silk city and Padma express trains last week.
Aminul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Ishwardi GRP thana, said that some untoward incidents are being noticed in the trains with insufficient number of attendants. But, a recent attempt of violating a school student inside train toilet was worrying the concerned rail authorities.
Mehedi, a passenger on Rajshahi bound Padma express train from Dhaka, said that often there are scuffle and altercation among passengers regarding allotment of seats by non-ticket holder passengers who used to pay a sum of money to the on duty train staff. The hawkers continually howls inside the trains disturbing passengers and transgender people used to realise toll from all passengers unabated, he added.
It is learnt, recently, an attempt was made of violating a school student inside a train toilet. However, other passengers of the train caught accused Mominul Islam, 26, red handed and handed over him to GRP. The student boarded for Rajshahi from Sirajganj in Silkcity train with her aunt.
Recently, body of a young man was recovered from a Rajshahi bound train from Dhaka. Attendants of the trains did not have the idea how the man died. Whenever, the train was taken for washing near Rajshahi station, the cleaners of the train could detect the dead body.
The cause of deaths in train was never investigated and revealed. Railway authorities failed to give any clear cause of such death.
Meanwhile, the railway tracks and railway station areas of Rajshahi remained full of garbages and stench. In spite of several hundred cleaners employed under West zone railway, keeping the station area unclean and full of garbage seems an enigma, said Abdul Hye, a passenger of a train.
Shah Newaz, Chief Commercial Manager of West Zone railway, said it was not being possible to employ sufficient or require number of attendants in all compartments of Silk City and the Padma Express trains because of man power shortage. He also said, the Dhumketu express train which departs at midnight from Dhaka has no attendant shortage because that train runs on private management. He, however, hoped such problem will be resolved soon.
