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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Conflict & Security

Stone-throwing attacks endanger passengers on Cox's Bazar rail route

From Daily Star · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • At least 27 stone-throwing attacks on trains along the Cox's Bazar rail route in Bangladesh have injured 12 passengers in the past year.
  • Incidents, primarily occurring between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, have damaged train windows and raised safety concerns.
  • Authorities suspect frustration over land acquisition or amusement among teenagers as potential motives for the attacks.

A disturbing trend of stone-throwing attacks on trains operating along the Cox's Bazar rail route in Bangladesh has injured at least 12 passengers over the past year, with 27 such incidents recorded. The attacks, which occur mainly between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, have raised serious concerns about passenger safety on one of the country's newest and most vital rail lines.

A stone thrown from outside suddenly hit the passenger directly in the face. He started bleeding immediately. We informed the train director and gave him primary treatment.

— Attendant on dutyDescribing the immediate aftermath of a stone-throwing attack on a passenger aboard the Cox's Bazar Express.

One passenger, Mohammad Himel Ahmed, suffered broken teeth and a torn lip after being struck by a stone on the Dhaka-bound Cox's Bazar Express in April. Another passenger sustained neck injuries. Railway records indicate that areas like Ramu, Islamabad, and Dulahazara have been hotspots for these incidents, with the Cox's Bazar Express and Parjatak Express experiencing the highest number of attacks.

While train journeys have traditionally been viewed as a safer alternative to road travel, these repeated assaults are undermining that perception. Passengers have reported being shaken by stones hitting coach windows, with fears that open windows could lead to more severe injuries. Railway police are investigating potential motives, including frustration or resentment from individuals who lost land during the railway's construction, as well as the possibility of teenagers engaging in the behavior for amusement.

We were shaken. If the window had been open, I could have been injured that day.

— Raihan UddinA frequent traveler on the route expressing his fear after a stone struck his train window.

Tarek Imran, deputy chief operating superintendent of Bangladesh Railway’s East Zone, described the stone-throwing as the "biggest problem on the route" and confirmed that all incidents are being documented and forwarded to law enforcement. The attacks have also resulted in property damage, with at least 10 train windows broken in the past year.

This is now the biggest problem on the route. We are documenting every incident and forwarding them to law enforcement agencies.

— Tarek ImranDeputy chief operating superintendent of Bangladesh Railway’s East Zone, highlighting the severity of the stone-throwing issue.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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