Negligence led to Brahmanbaria train accident: Probes
Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan made the disclosure at a press briefing at Rail Bhaban in Dhaka on Wednesday
Three probe committees of the Bangladesh Railway have found loco master Taser Uddin, assistant loco master Apu De and guard Abdur Rahman of the Turna Nishita train responsible for the November 12 train accident in Brahmanbaria that claimed 17 lives.
Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan made the disclosure at a press briefing at the Rail Bhaban in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Of the three committees, one was formed by the ministry, another by the Bangladesh Railway and the remaining one by the railway's eastern division.
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The minister said the probe committees found the negligence of the three staffers in the accident as they did not follow the signal of the station master.
"We have primarily suspended them and will take stern action including expulsion after receiving all the probe reports," the minister said.
Earlier, five committees were formed after the train accident. Three of them have submitted the probe reports.
"A total of 17 people were killed in the accident. Of them, 15 died on the accident day and another two died later in the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital and the Combined Military Hospital," the minister said.
He conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members and prayed for the salvation of the departed souls.
On another note, the probe committees placed five recommendations to avert any possible accident in future.
The recommendations include setting up CCTV cameras at locomotives to oversee the activities of loco masters, assistant loco masters and guards; training the officials and employees of the railway department; recruiting the manpower in the vacant posts; maintaining communication between station and train through "closed user group mobile"; and introducing "automatic train stop" system.
At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured as Udayan Express and Turna Nishita collided at Mandabhag Railway Station on the Dhaka-Sylhet route in Brahmanbaria's Kasba upazila at around 3am on November 12, leaving more than 100 injured.
