Police on high alert in western zone railway

But the security apparatus is too inadequate to the need, a high official of BR (Bangladesh Railway) told this correspondent yesterday.

BR's western zone covers 22 districts but the manpower and equipment have not been increased to face the present situation.

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An urgent message has been sent to higher authorities in Dhaka from the GRP headquarters in Saidpur to increase the manpower and to supply sophisticated equipment to match the present situation, he said.

Md Nazrul Islam, Superintendent of Rail Police in Saidpur, said security measures have been tightened to ensure safety. Hawkers are not allowed into stations and illegal makeshift shops have been evicted from railway compounds.

He also admitted that there is acute shortage of police and equipment. The present strength is megre to ensure security in all railway compounds and installation under the western zone in the face of militants' threats. At least four platoons of police are needed only in Saidpur, he said.

On Friday and Monday police arrested two suspected JMB militants including an woman from the Mohananda Express shuttling between Saidpur and Rajshahi and the Rocket Mail running between Saidpur and Khulna. They are Ambia Begum, 40, of Naldanga village in Natore district and Iqbal Hossain, 20, a student of Harina Kunda Koumi Madrasha in Jhenaidah district. Police also recovered explosive-like substances from their possession.

The official said that after arrest of the two suspected militants, police are apprehending bomb attack in passenger trains also.

Security has been tightened in all inter-city, mail and local trains, at rail way stations, Saidpur railway workshop and all other important installations.

Passengers are being checked with metal detectors at important railway stations before they board trains. But this is inadequate because of lack of manpower, the officials said seeking anonymity. Passengers should be properly checked at all stations because the militants may choose small stations to board a train, he said.

On November 27 morning, inter-city train Borendra Express running between Nilphamari and Rajshahi narrowly escaped an accident as the fish plate of the rail track was removed at Baniapara, about three kilometres from Saidpur railway station. An accident could be averted as some local people saw the track and hoisted a red flag.

Sources in police and railway employees suspect that fish plates could have been removed by saboteurs because telephonic threats were made earlier to railway offices in the region to blow up trains and installations with bomb.

On 11 November, one person identifying himself as a JMB activist made a telephone call to Saidpur railway hospital and threatened to blow up the hospital, important installations and passenger trains. Dr Ahsan Habib, Divisional Medical Officer (DMO) at the hospital while talking to newsmen acknowledged the threat.

Saidpur, a railway town, also accommodates the largest railway workshop in the country.