‘It was sabotage, but don’t know who did it’

The incidents of fire on two passenger trains ahead of the general elections were "acts of sabotage," according to the probe committees of rail authorities.

They, however, could not identify the culprits behind those attacks on Benapole and Mohanganj Express.

Bangladesh Railway has incurred financial losses of around Tk 10 crore due to the arson attacks on the two trains that killed eight people and left scores injured.

The committees, who submitted their report early this month, gave several recommendations, including increasing CCTV vigilance to improve the safety and security of rail operations.

The rail authority did not make the findings public, but this correspondent came to know about them while talking to the committee members.

At least four passengers, including a woman and her three-year-old son, were killed as arsonists set three coaches of Mohanganj Express on fire near Tejgaon Railway Station area in the capital on December 19 last year.

Four individuals were killed and over a dozen others were injured after arsonists set fire to the Benapole Express train in Dhaka on January 5.

Ruling party leaders blamed the opposition for the arson attacks, an allegation the opposition leaders denied and demanded judicial probes into the incidents.

After the Mohanganj Express fire, the railways ministry formed a five-member committee led by its joint secretary Hasan Mahmud to investigate the incident.

The committee, in its report, said they have taken statements from 21 witnesses and BR employees. While many of them said miscreants set fire to the train, no one saw the attackers, it said.

At least 23 people were on duty for the train's security, it said, adding, "It appears that setting fire to a train, dodging such a good number of security men, was a planned attack or sabotage by miscreants."

It gave six recommendations, including checking tickets of all passengers, setting CCTV at all stations, and putting an archway at all stations' entrances.

The committee said BR incurred a loss of Tk 3.59 crore as three coaches of Mohanganj Express burned down.

Meanwhile, BR formed an eight-member committee, led by Soumik Shaon Kabir, division signal and telecommunication engineer of Dhaka, after the fire on Benapole Express.

It also drew similar conclusions, saying BR incurred a Tk 6.37 crore loss due to the attack.

It gave several recommendations, including making the duty personnel more responsible for safety and setting up CCTV inside every coach.

Replying to a question, a probe committee member said it is not actually possible for them to identify the attackers. It is the responsibility of the law enforcers to find them out.