Accidents at rail-crossings: Writ seeks compensation for families of victims
It also demands judicial inquiry into such accidents across the country
A writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking its directive to the government to give compensation to the families of victims who died or were injured in recent train accidents in Chattogram and Gopalganj.
Supreme Court lawyer, Barrister Tapas Kanti Baul, filed the petition with the HC on Wednesday, seeking a judicial inquiry into accidents at railway crossings across the country.
The secretaries to the Ministries of Railways, Home Affairs, and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, were made respondents to the writ.
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On behalf of Mohiuddin Roni, who had been protesting alone since 7 July, demanding an end to irregularities at Bangladesh Railway, Barrister Tapas Kanti moved to the HC with the petition.
Barrister Tapas Kanti Baul told the media, "The writ was placed before the bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo on Wednesday, but the bench refused to hear the writ."
"I will place the writ petition to another bench of the High Court for a hearing," he added.
Eleven youths were killed and seven others injured in a railway accident at an authorised level crossing in Khayachhara, Mirsorai upazila in Chattogram, on 29 July.
Previously on 21 July, five day labourers were killed, struck by a train in Kashiani upazila of Gopalganj.
In the writ petition, the petitioner sought action against the inaction of the respondents to take just and necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the general public so such railway accidents do not happen.
It also sought formation of a judicial inquiry committee headed by a retired justice of the Appellate Division to submit a report on accidents at railway crossings in the country.
On 7 July, Dhaka University student Mohiuddin Roni started protesting alone to press home a six-point demand for an end to Bangladesh Railways' irregularities and mismanagement. He called off his protest after 19 days for the time being.
The demands included stopping mismanagement in selling tickets on shohoz.com, taking action against any irregularities, stopping ticket sales on the black market, and ensuring the availability of an equal number of tickets, both online and offline.
