Special Correspondent

What is the grim reality behind Bangladesh Railway’s severe locomotive crisis, frequent train accidents, schedule disruptions, and hundreds of crores of takas in revenue deficits?

A recent press conference organized by the "Bangladesh Railway Poshya Society"recently at the National Press Club might outwardly appear to address technical challenges and railway development.

However, a deeper analysis reveals an alarming narrative. Industry insiders suggest the event was a calculated administrative maneuver to shield the incumbent Director General (DG), while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a high-stakes, multi-billion-taka procurement syndicate behind the scenes.

According to relevant sources and available information, the entire event is tied to backroom maneuvers for a hasty locomotive procurement deal with a Chinese company, involving vested interests from a corrupt syndicate that has entrenched itself within the railway sector over the past 17 years.

In its written statement at the press conference, the society deflected blame onto former officials while portraying incumbent DG Afzal Hossain as a "skilled and experienced" administrator.

Attempts were made to dismiss ongoing allegations of corruption and irregularities against him as "propaganda" and "dirty competition." Even as investigative reports regarding DG Afzal Hossain's alleged misdeeds surfaced across national newspapers and social media platforms, the press conference strategically bypassed them. Framing demands for a neutral investigation as "harassment of officials," the event effectively manufactured a political shield to safeguard the DG's position and image.

Against a daily demand of 85 locomotives on the eastern meter-gauge network, only 70 to 72 operable engines are available. The top leadership cannot evade accountability for this chronic crisis by merely pointing fingers at predecessors. The cancellation of the project to procure 70 meter-gauge locomotives resulted in a revenue loss of approximately BDT 400 to 500 crore for the government, forfeiting an opportunity to utilize favorable international rates pegged at BDT 82 per US dollar. Such a monumental project cancellation could only occur amidst profound administrative failure and shortsightedness within the DG's office.

The process of acquiring 30 new meter-gauge engines under Asian Development Bank (ADB) financing has sparked severe controversy regarding "Axle Load" specifications and modifications. Whether aging rail corridors like Tongi-Akhaura or Chattogram-Dohazari possess the infrastructural capacity to sustain a 15-ton axle load remains a deeply sensitive question. Allegations suggest that technical specifications were altered to favor a specific clique and bend tender conditions. Executing a contract based on knowingly flawed technical terms risks pushing the nation's rail infrastructure toward permanent ruin.

The core driver of the current administrative paralysis within the railway department is reportedly the singular dominance of Afsar Biswas, a close childhood friend of a former Awami League minister. Widely known as the "unofficial shadow minister" of the railways for the past 17 years, Afsar Biswas continues to wield invisible authority to control the entire department, despite being an accused party in multiple cases following the July mass uprising. By placing loyalists in key positions, Biswas has effectively held the railway administration hostage.

Officials who refuse to comply with his illicit demands face immediate threats of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) probes or overnight transfers, preventing them from operating independently despite ministerial directives. Furthermore, plans have reportedly been hatched to siphon millions of dollars abroad through the 100-locomotive procurement plan and the ADB-funded 30-locomotive project. Allegations indicate that Hyundai Rotem of South Korea was cornered through ACC pressures, its local agent subjugated, and technical specs altered to hand the contract to Biswas's preferred foreign vendor.

Observing the timing and rhetoric of the press conference, seasoned observers conclude that the entire drama was staged to pave the way for a rushed locomotive procurement deal with a Chinese enterprise. A backroom financial understanding involving a massive sum has allegedly already been finalized with the Chinese firm. Leveraging the pretext of public interest and the locomotive crisis, the press conference was designed to exert psychological pressure on the government to quickly approve the acquisition of substandard or unconditioned engines from this specific Chinese supplier.

A five-year delay in amending the "Recruitment Rules-2020" alongside the recruitment of inexperienced personnel has driven 60% of new railway staff to resign. The DG and his administrative syndicate cannot evade responsibility for failing to retain qualified technical personnel and systematically paralyzing the railway system.

Standing atop the blood of hundreds of martyrs from the July uprising, the new Bangladesh cannot afford to leave its railway sector at the mercy of "black cats" or corrupt syndicates. Public expectations demand a high-level, transparent, and independent judicial probe into the 100-locomotive procurement process, backroom Chinese deals, and allegations against Afsar Biswas and allied railway syndicate officials.

Authorities must ensure that the procurement of 30 ADB-funded locomotives follows open, neutral international competitive bidding without compromised axle load or technical criteria, while purging the department of autocratic loyalists and restoring competent leadership. Freeing the railways from the grip of corrupt elements to serve the public is the urgent call of the day.

"We are not on the side of individuals; we are on the side of the railway," said Md. Moniruzzaman Monir, President of the Bangladesh Railway Poshya Society, responding to the allegations to The Country Today.

"Reports suggest that the press conference organized by the Bangladesh Railway Poshya Society aimed to ‘shield’ the incumbent Director General. I respectfully disagree with this interpretation," Monir stated.

"Our press conference statement is a public document. Nowhere did we state that any individual is above investigation, or that complaints against any official should not be probed. Rather, we clearly stated that transparent, neutral, and lawful investigations must be conducted against any railway official, current or former, facing allegations. At the same time, the state has a responsibility to ensure that no one is unjustly harassed through baseless accusations or propaganda."

He added, "Our primary focus was the severe locomotive crisis, the cancellation of the 70 meter-gauge locomotive project, the ADB-funded 30-locomotive procurement process, technical debates surrounding axle loads, delays in recruitment rules, manpower shortages, frequent engine breakdowns, train accidents, and administrative instability at the top. These issues directly concern the national interest and Bangladesh's railway services."

Addressing criticisms regarding omitted allegations against the DG, Monir clarified: "In reality, we did not deny any allegations; we simply stated that grievances should be resolved through government records, data, and legal investigations. Competitor administrative lobbying, social media posts, or partisan campaigns should not replace formal inquiries."

Regarding the 30-locomotive procurement process, he maintained that their statements relied on official documents, including technical evaluations from the Chief Engineer (East) branch, ADB observations, screening committee recommendations, and policy approvals from the Ministry of Railways. "We never said axle load questions are invalid; rather, we emphasized that this is a technical matter that must be resolved through data and technological analysis."

Similarly, he noted that they did not grant immunity to past or present actors regarding the cancellation of the 70-locomotive project, instead publicly demanding a neutral investigation to determine accountability for delays and administrative bottlenecks.

Moreover, their statement called for expedited ACC investigations and maximum penalties for those proven guilty of corruption. If their goal was to shield an individual, such demands would not have been raised.