Legal notice seeks Tk10 crore compensation from road transport ministry, DMTCL over Metro Rail accident death

A legal notice has been sent to the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry and Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), demanding Tk10 crore in compensation for the death of Abul Kalam Azad, who was killed when a load-bearing pad from the Metro Rail fell in Dhaka's Farmgate area.

The notice, issued by Advocate Enamul Haque Nobin of the Dhaka Judge Court and sent by post today (28 October), also demands a permanent job at the Metro Rail for one member of Kalam's family within 30 days of receiving the notice.

It warns that legal action will be taken if the demands are not met.

According to the notice, Abul Kalam Azad was the sole breadwinner for his family, which included his wife, two minor children, and a younger brother who is studying with Kalam's financial support.

It alleges that his death resulted from "extreme negligence and mismanagement" by the Metro Rail authority, which failed to properly maintain its installations and equipment.

The notice further claims that the Metro Rail was being operated in a defective condition without adequate inspection or testing, posing a serious threat to public safety. It states that this long-standing neglect led to the fatal accident that claimed Kalam's life.

The notice also criticises the Tk5 lakh compensation and job offer made by the Metro Rail authority, calling it "meagre, disconnected from reality, vague, and insulting."

It reiterates the demand for Tk10 crore in compensation and a permanent job for a family member, saying failure to comply "will set a shameful precedent for the state."

Abul Kalam, 35, from Shariatpur, was killed around 12:15pm on Sunday (26 October) when a load-bearing pad designed to reduce vibration during train operations came loose and fell near the Farmgate Metro Station, said Fazlul Karim, additional deputy commissioner of the DMP's Tejgaon Division.

Witnesses said the heavy pad struck Kalam on the head as he was walking along the footpath, killing him instantly. It also damaged a nearby tea-and-snack shop, injuring two others.

Later inspection revealed that two bearing pads had fallen from the Farmgate section of the Metro Rail.