A Tragic End of Ambition
Ashim Kumar Paul
This
year the ending days of Shrabon in Bangla calendar were somehow different from
its earlier days. The incessant falling of rain reminds us that it does not
lose its supremacy albeit at the first phase of the month, the sight of rain
was as almost invisible as fig flowers. The drops of rain were drenching the
earth with its might. The symphony of raining has its own nature and appeal.
Very few people can be found who don't like to associate themselves with the
rhythm produced by the incessant fall of rain. But who knew that symphony of
rain would be mingled with the ever flowing tears of the parents of Preeti Das?
Even did Preeti herself know what was waiting for her? Had her husband accompanying
her been aware of the fact that the night would bring a grief that he would
have to bear throughout his life-time? In fact, no one can discern that he or
she might go through fatality. Truly, death is an inevitable experience in
human life. But despite the fact, it is also true that some deaths cannot be
accepted.
The reports published in the dailies
tell that Preeti Das, a young female engineer, was married about seventeen
months ago. She was the only daughter of her parents. Given train journey a safer
mode of transportation, Preeti and her husband Mintu opted for a train journey
to set out from Chittagong for a four-day trip to Dhaka on this Eid vacation
and thus boarded Turna Nishitha train with a view to spending the vacation with
some members of their relatives. As the train reached Bhanga Bridge area of
Bhatiari under Sitakunda upazila, the miscreants pelted stones that rocketed
through the window next to Priti and hit her head while she was asleep. She
screamed aloud and became unconscious. She was rushed to Sitakunda Health
Complex and later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where
attending doctors declared her dead.
After obtaining degree in Architectural Interior, Preeti was studying Civil Engineering in a private university. It is really a tough job for a married woman to continue studies and maintain family simultaneously. But it was her indomitable endeavour to meet her dream that prompted her to undertake her aspiration. She might have the dream to serve the country with her talent. Her parents could be proud of their daughter’s success and endeavour. She might appear as an ideal to be followed by many women who find a bar to pursue higher studies. But it was the hurled stone that hit Preeti ended the prospect of a luminous star.
The death of Preeti Das makes us ponder
over some crucial matters which really need to be addressed well. It reminds us
of callousness and corrupt mindset that are evident in the crimes done toward
the victims. Though there are laws enough to punish the perpetrators, it is the
absence of the implementation of law that often prompts such kinds of heinous
crimes. Since no significant action is yet to be taken against those involved
in hurling stones at the moving trains and no one is yet to be tried, no sense
of apprehension and penitence have not been aroused in those perpetrators.
“There is a tendency of some rowdy people who get morbid pleasure by breaking
laws and violating human rights. In a word, Preeti is simply a victim of that
tendency by some rowdy people who do not hesitate to break laws, no matter, how
it really costs,” added Fahmida Ahmed, working in a daily newspaper.
When I read the news at the newspaper,
what flashed up into my mind first was the fable of Aesop that tells some boys
were playing one day at the edge of a pond in which lived a family of frogs.
The boys used to amuse themselves by throwing stones into the pond so as to
make them skip on top of the water. The stones were flying thick and fast and
the boys were enjoying themselves very much; but the poor frogs in the pond
were trembling with fear. At last one of the frogs, the oldest and bravest, put
his head out of the water, and said, “Oh, please, dear children, stop your
cruel play! Though it may be fun for you, it means death to us!” The similar
things happen to some of mischief makers who get amusement by hurling stones at
the moving train, especially some youngsters are found to engage themselves in
this game. “In our boyhood, we also took part in this type of play. Sometimes,
we bet for it! But now I know this is not a game; it acts as a weapon that can
snatch away some valuable lives. Thus, we should motivate the boys especially
who are five to fifteen years old and live in the shanties near to railway
line. The boys do not even know about the ultimate result of this play, but the
elders should motivate them not to do it and they should explain the dreadful
consequence of it”, told Shamsul Alam, a senior official of a private bank.
Hurling stones at the running trains is
neither a rare phenomenon nor does stick to happen in a particular place. It
goes off at almost every corner across the country. Of such many incidents,
very few come out in media reports. Jahid Hossain, a fourth year student of
Dhaka University, shared one of his untoward experiences regarding the pelting
stones at the trains. “The day before yesterday, I was travelling from
Dewanjong to Jamalpur by train. While the train was passing by Malandaho
Station, some children began to chuck big pieces of bricks at the train and one
of those bricks hit my neck. I was seriously injured. If the piece of brick hit
my head, I might face the fatality.”
Amjad Ali who works for an advertisement
agency mentioned another terrible experience while he was boarding the train.
He said, “The train had just crossed Comilla. It was near Cosba. I and one of
my friends were seated on seat numbers13 and 14. Out of the blue, a stone was
thrown towards window adjacent to seat number 6 which resulted in the huge
glass completely broken. The stone just missed the lady who was sitting beside
the window due to protected glass. This would have given rise to another
disaster what has already been done like Turna. She was fortunate as she was
travelling in Snigda A/C with the protected glass. Can you imagine the
situation if the window was open like in Non A/C? Surely it would hit her head
directly. Where do we live in? Why are we so uncivilised?”
The commuters travelling by train
grumble that many passengers get wounded by stones hurled by passers-by at the
moving trains, but very few of such incidents are reported to the railway
authorities. However, no remarkable action has been taken against those
responsible for such deeds. “Railway department has its own law enforcing
personnel. But how much are they committed to their profession? The railway
department has its own responsibility to make the people aware who are living
in the shanties beside the railway tracks about not to make injury to
passengers. But it is really a matter of disappointment that they do not
perform their responsibility by the book. They are found on the go when an
accident takes place. Government should take necessary steps against those
officials who are not doing their job properly.” Tarun Tapan Chakravorty, a
senior journalist, expressed his opinion in this regard.
Although Bangladesh Railway (East Zone),
following the tragic death of Preeti das, has already launched a campaign from
Pahartali in Chittagong to Feni to build awareness among people living beside
railway tracks to stop throwing stones at trains, the news cannot, however,
comfort us that such gruesome acts will not occur again. Can the death of
Preeti stop the wanton game of pelting stones at the trains that leaves many
commuters injured and often causes death who board the trains for its safe
transport facilities? Who can ensure us that no more gleaming star would fall
apart? As the citizens of the country, we must have the right to travel and
reach our destination safe.
