New ministry for railway suggested

A parliamentary body yesterday recommended forming of a separate ministry for railway.
The parliamentary standing committee on communications ministry made the suggestion in the wake of the prevailing sorry sate of the railway, considered the safest and easiest transport network in the country.
The committee at a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban observed the railway is widely neglected, as the communications ministry is overburdened with a huge task.
“Therefore we believe, if a new ministry for railway is set up, the sector will get a new look, ” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, chief of the parliamentary body, told The Daily Star after the meeting.
“Through the communications ministry, we made the recommendation to the prime minister for setting up railway ministry.”
Mujibur said lax of drivers, masters and other staff worsened the railway situation. The BNP-led government in 1992-93 terminated jobs of 18,000 officials and employees of railway, he said.
Even the country's only railway training institute at Saidpur was shutdown during the then BNP government's ruling, added Mujibur.
“Many of the fired officials left the country and took jobs in railway abroad. Now our railway is suffering from manpower shortage,” he said adding, the parliamentary body suggested longer service age of drivers.
The parliamentary body also recommended for formation of a highway management committee to reduce road accidents. The committee will be formed with officials from traffic, district administration and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority.
It will work on ways to ensure safe road and quick rescue operation following a road accident, Mujibur said.
Participating in the budget discussion yesterday, Jatiya Party lawmaker AKM Mayeedul Islam urged the communications minister to look at the state of railway for its betterment.