Swapan Kumar Singh:

Two separate stone-throwing incidents targeting moving trains in Brahmanbaria have left two passengers seriously injured, including an income tax lawyer who permanently lost an eye and another passenger who required five stitches to his head.

The back-to-back attacks have once again raised serious concerns over passenger safety on Bangladesh's railway network.

According to victims, witnesses and railway sources, the incidents occurred around 1:30am on Tuesday night (June 23) in isolated and sparsely populated areas of Brahmanbaria.

In the first incident, unidentified individuals hurled stones at the Dhaka-Chattogram-bound Turna Express as the train was passing Talshahar Station. One of the stones struck Shyamal Chandra Das, an income tax lawyer, directly in his right eye.

He was initially taken to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital before being transferred to the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital in Dhaka for advanced treatment.

Despite a nearly four-hour surgery, doctors were unable to save the damaged eye and were ultimately forced to remove it.

In a separate incident on the same night, another stone was thrown at the Dhaka-Chattogram-bound Mahanagar Express as it entered the Pairatala outer signal area near Brahmanbaria Railway Station.

The victim, Naimul Hasan, executive accountant at Dhaka-based Swapna Kutir Builders, said he was standing near the train door preparing to disembark when the stone suddenly struck his head.

The impact caused severe bleeding and fellow passengers rushed him to a hospital, where doctors administered five stitches.

Railway police have since launched an investigation into both incidents.

Speaking to Sylhet Today News, Md Shah Alam, in-charge of the Brahmanbaria Railway Station Police Outpost, said a preliminary investigation is underway and a police team has already started working on the matter.

At this stage, we suspect that drug addicts, intoxicated individuals or substance abusers may be involved. No sane and conscientious person would commit such a cruel act, he said.

He added that the incidents took place in a deserted area late at night and confirmed that one victim sustained comparatively minor injuries while the other suffered severe injuries.

Shah Alam also said that no formal case has yet been filed as both victims are currently undergoing treatment, although legal proceedings are expected to follow.

Local residents and regular train passengers say stone-throwing at moving trains is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh. Similar incidents have been reported repeatedly across various railway routes over the years, exposing passengers to serious risks.

They argue that surveillance and preventive measures remain inadequate despite the recurring nature of the problem.

Passengers have called for stronger security measures, including expanded CCTV coverage in vulnerable areas, increased joint patrols by railway police and local authorities, and swift identification and prosecution of those responsible.

Without decisive action, they warn, passenger safety on the country's railway network could face an even greater threat in the future.