MP makes emotional call to rail minister after Cumilla crash

A video showing a phone conversation between a local lawmaker Monirul Haque Chowdhury and Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam following a deadly rail crossing accident in Cumilla’s Paduar Bazar has gone viral on social media.

In the video, Cumilla lawmaker Monirul is seen speaking over the phone with Rabiul on Sunday morning around 10am from Singapore.

With an emotional and tearful voice, the MP urges the minister to visit the accident site immediately and says he will try to return to the country after completing his medical treatment.

During the conversation, Monirul says the Paduar Bazar rail crossing has long been prone to accidents.

“This is not a new incident. Such accidents have been happening for the past 100 years, and no one has ensured justice. I have tried my best,” he says.

He also claims that funds allocated in the past for safety improvements at the crossing were misused. Referring to previous initiatives, he says money had been provided for installing barriers at the site but the work remained incomplete.

At one point, the minister is heard responding, saying the issue had been raised before. In reply, the MP again urges him to visit the site, saying, “Please go and see. I have a doctor’s appointment tonight, and I will try to catch a flight back tomorrow. I have grown old seeing these dead bodies. I will find peace in life if something is done about this railway barrier.”

He also mentions that he had previously shown the site to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir during a visit.

In response, the minister assures him that he is heading to the scene and will take necessary steps.

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12 killed as train smashes into bus at Cumilla crossing

The accident occurred around 3am on Saturday when a mail train travelling from Chattogram to Dhaka collided with a passenger bus at the Paduar Bazar rail crossing. The bus was dragged nearly half a kilometre by the train.

Initially, seven bodies were recovered, but the death toll later rose to 12.