Khairul Alam : In 2024, the Railway Police recovered 1,017 bodies from railway tracks across the country. This averages to about 85 bodies per month. Among the deceased, 794 were men and 223 were women.

A total of 998 unnatural death (UD) cases were filed in connection with these recoveries. Six of these cases were later converted into homicide cases following investigation, according to data from the Railway Police Headquarters.

According to the Railway Police, 50% of the victims (504 people) died after being hit by moving trains while sitting or walking on the tracks. Another 272 people (27%) died while carelessly crossing unprotected level crossings.

Crime analysts believe that the high number of unguarded level crossings across the country’s railways is a major factor contributing to these deaths.

Further analysis of the data reveals that:

• 23 people died after falling from the roof of trains.
• 76 people died while walking on tracks wearing earphones or headphones, unable to hear oncoming trains.
• 142 people died from natural causes, illness, old age, suicide, or mental health conditions.

In just the first two months of 2024 (January–February), 168 bodies were recovered from railway tracks. The causes of these deaths mirror those from the previous year.

Railway Police officials told that common causes of death on railway tracks include:

• Traveling on train roofs
• Getting hit while taking selfies near trains
• Losing balance while boarding or alighting from moving trains
• Walking on tracks while wearing earphones or headphones
• Hanging on train door handles during transit
• Sitting on the tracks
• Carelessly crossing railway lines
• Sitting on the buffer zone between train carriages

Officials also said that in some cases, criminals deliberately leave bodies on railway tracks to make it appear as an accident, masking the true nature of the crime.

If a death is assumed to be accidental, it often only warrants a basic accident investigation rather than a full homicide inquiry, allowing culprits to escape justice.

However, if foul play is suspected, investigations are pursued accordingly to bring the perpetrators to justice.

According to Railway Police records, 5,362 bodies were recovered from railway tracks between 2019 and 2024. Among them, 81 were later identified as victims of murder, and legal action was taken against those involved.

Additional Deputy Inspector General of Railway Police, Tofayel Ahmed Miah, told that after recovering a body from the railway, efforts are made to analyze evidence and determine the cause of death.

Gradually, those responsible are being brought under the law. He also noted that the Railway Police has recently made significant progress in seizing illegal drugs.

Sources say that many level crossings across the country, including in the capital, are unprotected and unauthorized. Some crossings lack even basic safety measures like gatekeepers or signal bars, putting lives at risk.

Several Railway Police officers emphasized that any organization or authority intending to create a crossing over railway tracks must obtain prior approval from the railway department.

Only after proper assessment and resource allocation, including staff deployment, should such approvals be granted. Unfortunately, most level crossings remain unguarded, and safety considerations are often overlooked.