A serious railway incident in Gazipur’s Tongi area has once again highlighted the dangers of unsafe level crossing practices, after a motorcyclist narrowly escaped death when his vehicle was struck by a moving train. Although the motorcycle was severely damaged, the rider survived, sustaining injuries but avoiding what could have been a fatal outcome.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 pm on Wednesday (29 April) at the Tongi New Bazar railway crossing along the Dhaka–Tongi rail corridor. According to police and eyewitness accounts, the Dhaka-bound intercity “Joyontika Express” was passing through the area at the time when the officially designated level crossing gate had already been closed for safety reasons.
Despite the closure, the motorcyclist, identified as Opus Mia (39), reportedly attempted to cross the tracks using a smaller adjacent “pocket gate”, a shortcut often used informally by local commuters. As his motorcycle entered the rail line, the train struck it forcefully, throwing the vehicle aside and causing extensive damage.
In a dramatic turn of events, the rider managed to leap clear at the last moment, narrowly escaping being hit directly by the train. However, he sustained injuries and was quickly rescued by local residents who transported him to Tongi Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital for treatment.
Opus Mia, a resident of Podharbaid village in Pubail area of Gazipur, is the son of Saiful Islam and works professionally as a deed writer at the Tongi Sub-Registrar’s Office.
Incident Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 April |
| Time | Around 7:30 pm |
| Location | Tongi New Bazar Railway Crossing, Gazipur |
| Train | Joyontika Express (Dhaka-bound) |
| Victim | Opus Mia (39) |
| Occupation | Deed writer, Sub-Registrar Office, Tongi |
| Outcome | Motorcycle damaged; rider injured but survived |
Railway Police from the Tongi outpost, led by Sub-Inspector Nur Alam Hossain, confirmed that the crossing gate had been closed in accordance with standard signalling procedures. He stated that the accident occurred when the motorcyclist attempted to bypass safety measures using the pocket gate, ignoring the imminent passage of the train. Police and emergency responders arrived promptly at the scene and ensured the injured man received medical attention.
The incident has reignited public concern over repeated violations of railway crossing regulations in the area. Safety advocates and local residents have expressed alarm at the persistent tendency of some commuters to ignore closed gates and warning signals in order to save time.
Officials and safety observers have reiterated that such risky behaviour significantly increases the likelihood of catastrophic accidents. They have urged stricter enforcement of railway crossing rules, improved awareness campaigns, and physical barriers to prevent unauthorised access to active rail lines.
Although this incident ended without loss of life, authorities warn that continued disregard for safety protocols could easily lead to far more tragic consequences in the future.
