At least 12 people were killed in a tragic collision between a passenger bus and a train at a level crossing in Comilla’s Sadar South upazila early Sunday, raising serious concerns over reckless driving, lack of safety measures, and poor monitoring.
The accident occurred shortly before 3:00am at the Padua Bazar level crossing when a Noakhali-bound Mamun Paribahan bus entered the railway track and was hit by a Dhaka-bound mail train. Witnesses said the train dragged the bus for a considerable distance, leaving it completely mangled and increasing the number of casualties.
The deceased include Laiju Akter, 29, and her two children Khadija, 6, and Mariam, 3, from the same family in Jhenaidah. Others killed in the incident are Jeyad Biswas, 25; Khandakar Sirajul Alam, 60, and his wife Kohinur Begum, 55; Babul Chowdhury, 53; Mohammad Sohel Rana, 48; a child named Sayeda, 9; Mohammad Tajul Islam, 70; Fachiar Rahman, 25; and Md Raihan, 28. The bodies have been kept at the morgue of Comilla Medical College Hospital.
State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid visited the site around noon and announced Tk 100,000 in compensation for each victim’s family. He also said the district administration would provide Tk 25,000 to each bereaved family and Tk 15,000 to the injured. The government will bear all medical expenses of those injured in the accident.
According to witnesses and preliminary findings, the bus entered the crossing at speed without checking for an approaching train. Observers say intense competition among drivers to reach destinations earlier and maximise profits often leads to such dangerous behaviour.
The incident also exposed major safety lapses, as there was no gateman on duty at the time of the crash, leaving the crossing unprotected. Following the accident, Bangladesh Railway suspended two gatemen—Helal Uddin and Mehedi Hasan—for negligence.
Railway authorities have formed two separate probe committees—one divisional and one zonal—while the district administration has also launched an independent investigation. The committees have been asked to submit their findings within three working days, and officials said those found responsible would face disciplinary action.
The State Minister said the government is considering converting unprotected railway crossings into overpasses or underpasses to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The tragedy has once again highlighted weaknesses in level crossing management, with experts stressing that a combination of reckless driving, inadequate safety systems, and weak oversight continues to put lives at risk.
