The number of travellers on trains jumps in Bangladesh during the festive seasons - overwhelming the already strained railway system.
For many, the only available seat comes with a heart-stopping view – the top of the train as thousands, driven by desperation and a yearning for home, cling precariously to these hurtling metal giants.
Hurtling at breakneck speed, the wind whipping past one’s ears, the ground a dizzying distance below and the risk of falling or getting hit to death - this is the reality for these "roof riders."
One wrong move, a misplaced foot, a sudden jolt – and the festive homecoming becomes a tragic footnote.
The danger extends beyond the riders themselves as things thrown by them can injure bystanders, and sudden stops can send them tumbling into the path of oncoming trains.
Death by falling from the roof of trains has become a regular incident in Bangladesh.
On 16 April, 16-year-old Murad Hossain died from falling from the train in Bochaganj in Dinajpur.
In 2018, 4 people died after falling from the roof of a train in Naogaon when they were hit by an iron bridge on the railway.
As risky as it is, the act of riding on the roof of a train is also a punishable offence.
Section 118 of the Railways Act 1890 states that the railway authority can punish a passenger with a fine of Tk50 if they are travelling on the roof.
“If a passenger, despite being warned by a railway employee still travels on the roof, steps or footboard of any carriage or an engine, or in any other part of a train not intended for the use of passengers, they shall be punished with a fine which may extend to Tk50 and may be removed from the train by any railway employee,” states the law.
Railway authorities do try to stop passengers from riding on the roof of trains but ultimately are not successful against the emotions and ignorance of the people.
It is also seen that some people in different railway stations make seasonal business by providing bamboo-made ladders to help passengers get on the roof in exchange for money.
As Bangladesh's railway infrastructure struggles to keep pace with its growing population, the holiday rush exposes the faulty lines – a stark reminder of the need for increased capacity, improved ticketing systems, and stricter enforcement of safety regulations.
However, the Bangladesh Railway is in the process of amending the more than century-old Railways Act.
The website of the Ministry of Railways states that the new amended law will increase the amount of financial penalty and will add imprisonment.
A fine of Tk500 and a maximum of 1-month jail term have been proposed in the draft.
