3 boys crushed by train while taking footage on track

Three boys were killed after being run over by a train in Brahmanbaria yesterday when they were shooting a video of another train.

The dead are Shubho, 10, Ripon, 12, and Pervez, 14. They are from Bhadughar village in the district's Sadar upazila.

Quoting locals, Brahmanbaria Railway Police's Sub-inspector Sanaul Islam said the boys were gossiping on the rail lines near Bhadughar level crossing around 10:15am.

They started making a video of Chittagong-bound Sonar Bangla Express, which was passing on the other line, with a mobile phone. At that time, another train ran them over, the SI said.

Shubho and Parvez died on the spot. Ripon was rushed to a hospital where doctors referred him to Dhaka. He died on the way to the capital.

Shubho's mother Mina Begum could hardly talk when this correspondent contacted her.

His father Kawsar Mia said he came to know about the incident around 10:30am. “At first, I didn't believe it [that his son is dead].”

He added that Shubho wanted to take photos with his friends and cousins outside home. “That's why he woke up early in the morning and finished breakfast quickly.”

Pervez's father Anis Mia said, “My son meant everything to me. He never had any meal without me. Before leaving home yesterday, he told me that he would return soon and have his meal with me.”

 Songkhubdo Nagorik Andolon convener Abdul Karim Kim said lack of fences around the rail lines and absence of gates at most of the level crossings throughout the country makes the tracks and crossings unsafe.

To make the rail lines and crossings safer, fences need to be raised along the lines and barriers erected at every crossing, he opined. The railway authorities may identify the critical level crossings and provide barriers at those locations, he added.