Moshiur Rahman Selim, Cumilla  South 

 Hundreds of authorized and unauthorized level crossings across four major train routes under the Eastern Railway zone in Cumilla have heightened safety risks for commuters and vehicular traffic.

Despite prominent warning signboards erected by Bangladesh Railway advising the public that specific crossings lack gatekeepers and instructing commuters to cross at their own risk without railway liability, frequent accidents continue to occur along the network. Analysts and commuters contend that railway authorities cannot abdicate responsibility for these hazards.

According to local railway sources, four major lines—Dhaka–Laksam–Chattogram, Laksam–Chandpur, Laksam–Noakhali, and Laksam–Feni—are traversed daily by hundreds of thousands of pedestrians alongside cargo and passenger vehicles via unprotected level crossings. Paved and unpaved roads constructed over rail tracks by local government entities, upazila parishads, LGED, municipalities, and donor-funded projects without physical barrier equipment or authorized personnel have turned these intersections into persistent danger spots.

Statistically, there is an average of one level crossing per kilometer across the region. Out of approximately 1,230 level crossings under Eastern Railway, around 719 are unauthorized. While 511 crossings are recognized as authorized, many lack appointed gatekeepers or physical barriers. To mitigate risks, railway authorities previously initiated preparations to recruit 1,038 temporary gatekeepers for high-risk points alongside earlier recruitment drives; however, local concerns over crossing safety remain unaddressed.

Data from the rail network indicates widespread vulnerability across specific track segments. On the Dhaka–Laksam–Chattogram route, over 500 authorized and unauthorized level crossings exist. Out of 242 sanctioned gatekeeper posts for authorized crossings, only 36 are currently filled, leaving 206 posts vacant, alongside 814 unauthorized crossings comprising 431 in the Dhaka section and 383 in the Chattogram section. Along the 50-kilometer Laksam–Noakhali line, nearly 50 crossings exist, roughly 40 of which are unauthorized, while unprotected level crossings also dominate the Laksam–Feni and Laksam–Chandpur track segments.

A prominent hazard is situated approximately 300 yards north of Laksam Railway Junction, where a municipal paved road spans six to seven active railway tracks. Daily, thousands of commuters and vehicles navigate this unprotected junction, which is surrounded by Eastern Railway divisional offices, locomotive sheds, educational institutions, and commercial hubs.

Over the past five years, collisions at these intersections have caused multiple casualties and property damage running into millions of taka, highlighted by major derailments such as the incident at Hasanpur along the Laksam–Chattogram route.

 Repeated attempts to reach Eastern Railway officials via phone for official comments went unanswered.