Modernise railway

Speakers urge govt

13 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Save Environment Movement and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust organise a sit-in programme in front of the Institute of Fine Arts faculty on the DhakaUniversity campus yesterday.Photo: STAR

Speakers at a sit in programme yesterday demanded that the government modernise the railway service and reopen the closed railway stations. Save Environment Movement and Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust organised the programme in front of the Institute of Fine Arts faculty on the DhakaUniversity campus. Speakers at a sit-in demonstration said some 106 railway stations have been closed since 1991 for lack of skilled driver, stationmaster and other manpower. They said though it is a cost effective transport system and environment-friendly it could not flourish due to negligence of the government. Huge money has been spent for establishing the stations and in the name of their beatification following the suggestions of the donor agencies. But the services have not improved for lack of manpower, engine and rolling stock, they said. The government has taken decision to recruit manpower in railway but has not been implemented, they said, adding that the finance minister in his budget speech has spoken to make the railway a corporation which is similar to privatisation. They said if the state-owned railway is made a corporation the national economy and national security will be affected badly and the people will be hostage to a group, increasing the transport cost. They also underscored the need for a separate ministry for railway, modernisation of railway service, separate budget for railway, extension of rail line, improved signalling system and setting up a factory for making the spare parts of rail engines. Abdul Kuddus Boyati of Save Folksong Movement, Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust, Nazmul Karim Sabuj of Green Voice spoke at the sit-in with Save Environment Movement Abu Naser Khan in the chair.