An 18-year-old mechanic was killed after being struck by a train while walking along a railway track in the Paglar Pol area of Mahakhali in the capital on Saturday morning.

The deceased was identified as Imran Hossain, son of Jamal Hossain of Kamarpukur village in Haripur upazila of Thakurgaon. Imran had moved to Dhaka in search of work and was employed as a private car mechanic at a workshop in Mahakhali. He lived with his family in the Arjatpara area of Mahakhali.

The accident occurred at around 9.30am when Imran was reportedly walking along the railway line at Paglar Pol. A train travelling from Kamalapur passed through the area and struck him, leaving him with severe injuries, particularly to his head. He was thrown beside the railway track following the impact.

Local people rushed to his aid and took him to Ayesha Hospital in Mahakhali. He received initial treatment there, but as his condition deteriorated, doctors advised that he be transferred to a facility capable of providing more advanced care.

Imran was subsequently taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital at around 10.30am. Despite efforts by doctors, his condition continued to worsen. He was pronounced dead at around noon.

Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police camp, confirmed the death. He said Imran’s body had been kept at the hospital morgue and that the relevant railway police station had been informed about the incident.

The accident has once again highlighted the dangers faced by pedestrians who walk along railway tracks or cross rail lines at unauthorised points. Railway tracks can be particularly hazardous because trains are unable to stop quickly once an obstacle is detected. Even when pedestrians hear an approaching train, the speed, noise and surrounding environment can make it difficult to judge the distance and time available to move to safety.

In densely populated parts of Dhaka, railway corridors often run close to residential areas, workshops, markets and workplaces. This can lead people to use railway tracks as informal walking routes, especially where convenient alternative roads or crossings are limited. Such practices expose pedestrians to the risk of collisions with moving trains.

For railway authorities and local communities, preventing such incidents requires sustained public awareness as well as effective measures to discourage people from using active railway lines as pedestrian routes. Safe crossings, appropriate barriers and enforcement can help reduce exposure to moving trains, particularly in areas where large numbers of people regularly move around railway corridors.

For Imran’s family, however, the consequences are irreversible. The young man had travelled to the capital to earn a living and was working as a mechanic at just 18 years of age. His sudden death has left his relatives facing profound grief.

The circumstances that led Imran to walk along the railway line, as well as the precise sequence of events surrounding the collision, may become clearer through the relevant authorities’ investigation.