For years, railways in the country have been a breeding ground for a disturbing crime: murder. Criminals have taken advantage of the vast network and the perception of accidents to commit heinous acts.

According to Railway Police statistics, at least 75 people were murdered along the tracks from 2019 to 2023, disguised as accidental deaths.

Some murders left visible injuries, allowing police to identify foul play. However, other killings were more sophisticated, requiring medical examinations to confirm suspicion.

Railway Police data reveal that about 4,345 people were crushed under the wheels of trains across the country in the 2019-2023 period. Members of the Railway

Police could detect the killings of 56 people by observing injuries on the victims’ bodies, while they had to rely on medical tests to confirm the murders of 19 people.

However, some murders were neither apparent nor detected by tests. It was only the deep suspicion of family members and the intellectuality of law enforcers that led to their discovery.

The killing of one Jahirul Islam from Brahmanbaria in 2021 is such a harrowing example.

Initially ruled an accidental death by autopsy, Jahirul’s mother’s unwavering suspicion and a thorough investigation by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) revealed a sinister plot.

On 9 September 2021, members of Railway Police recovered Jahirul’s body from the rail line at Poiratola rail gate in the district headquarters.

Police recorded an unnatural death case with Akhaura Railway Police Station. Later, the postmortem report stated that it was an accidental death, which was unbelievable to the victim’s mother.

She filed a murder case against unknown individuals with the Brahmanbaria Judicial Magistrate Court on 10 August 2022.

Afterwards, the PBI investigation found that the deceased’s two friends – Nafiz and Babu – threw him in front of a running train in a pre-planned manner, causing his death.

Dr Tawohidul Haque, a crime expert and professor at Dhaka University, told the Daily Sun that criminals may be targeting remote railway areas due to a perceived lack of security and surveillance.

“So, they [criminals] select some abandoned locations along the railway lines for committing murders or dumping bodies hoping these acts will be mistaken for suicides or accidents,” he said.

Tawohidul Haque stressed that Bangladesh Railway and Railway Police must acknowledge their responsibility for the apparent failure in ensuring the safety of rail lines.

The expert suggested of bringing the entire railways under the CCTV surveillance to control the crimes.

Asked about the issue, Sardar Shahadat Ali, Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Railway, told the Daily Sun that the Railway Police oversee the entire security issue along the railways, and that Bangladesh Railway has no involvement in this regard.

When contacted, Md Shah Alam, deputy inspector general of the Railway Police, said that killers target railway lines to create a facade of accidents.

He also detailed various initiatives undertaken to tackle this issue, including specialised training for officers.

“We have already imparted training to 96 officers from sub-inspectors to high-ups about homicidal investigation. We will soon provide such training to another batch comprising 96 more,” he said.

“The Railway Police has 24 police stations across the country. Each station has a crime scene management unit that is working for this purpose,” Shah Alam concluded.