ED: Death on the rails

Another horrifying accident has claimed the lives of at least 12 people, and injured several others, as a train collided with a bus in Joypurhat sadar upazila - - we mourn the lives of those who lost their lives. 

However, once again, it was an accident on the tracks which was entirely avoidable; as per the police, it was the respective rail crossing’s gate man whose failure to do his duty resulted in the needless loss of a dozen lives.

In July, a report mentioned that at least 113 lives, including those of 26 women and 11 children, were lost to train accidents in the first six months of the year, and sadly, most if not all of these deaths were preventable. To that end, the question must be asked: When will these accidents involving our trains and railways stop?

Of course, we hope that when this gate man responsible for the latest accident -- who is currently on the run -- is found, he is disciplined to the fullest extent of the law, but the larger issue here are the repeated offenses of these individuals who simply do not take their jobs seriously, and as a consequence, lives continue to be endangered and lost.

There is no alternative but to educate the railway staff -- each and every one regardless of rank and responsibilities -- on the necessity of being diligent and dutiful, and sternly reminding them of the disastrous consequences of their negligent behaviour for which they will be held accountable. 

Failure to do so would simply result in more and more deaths, and we cannot let that happen any longer.