Bangladesh Defense
Saif
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Govt should change obsolete railway law to better services
THE state of the Bangladesh Railway’s legal framework is concerning. A New Age report says that efforts by successive governments to amends the 136-year-old British-era railway law with a view to improving passenger services, safety and preventing fraud have remained stalled for seven years without any tangible progress. Railways ministry officials say that the Railway Act 1890 needs to be revised to reflect technological advancement, incorporate provisions against digital fraud and update fines for various offences, many of which have become outdated and ineffective. They also say that the proposed reform would provide for harsher punishments for offences, improve passenger services and address allegations of underhand ticket sales by dishonest railway employees despite the introduction of online ticketing. The government has initiated a fresh review of the draft amendment to the law prepared during the previous administration after deciding that the earlier draft was inadequate. Officials, however, have indicated that the process of finalising the legislation will require further reviews and consultations and could still take several years. The proposed law with 157 sections is expected to replace the existing law and incorporate modern provisions aimed at better protection of passengers and railway property.
The prolonged failure to update the law has implications that extend far beyond an outdated statute. A legal framework that does not keep pace with technological and operational changes weakens the state’s ability to prevent emerging forms of fraud, hold offenders accountable and protect passenger rights. The introduction of online ticketing was expected to improve transparency. Yet, studies find that mismanagement, corruption and procedural weaknesses continue to undermine service quality and public confidence, indicating that technological innovation alone cannot overcome institutional shortcomings. The reported resistance of vested interests to stronger penalties further suggests that the reform process is constrained by institutional interests rather than guided by passenger welfare. Such resistance should reinforce, rather than weaken, the government’s resolve to enact meaningful reforms. The Anti-Corruption Commission earlier identified corruption in at least 10 areas of the Bangladesh Railway, including ticket sales, procurement, recruitment and land management, and recommended measures to improve accountability. The proposed legislation should, therefore, be accompanied by transparent implementation rules, digital audit mechanisms, regular independent oversight and defined accountability for officials responsible for enforcing the law. The new law is, otherwise, unlikely to deliver the institutional transformation necessary to improve governance, curb corruption and restore public confidence.
The government should, therefore, expedite the amendment process and ensure that the new law is accompanied by robust enforcement mechanisms, independent oversight and institutional accountability instead of allowing it to remain another delayed legal exercise. Legal reform will have little practical value if the institutions entrusted with implementing it continue to operate under the same culture of impunity that has impeded efficient railway services.
THE state of the Bangladesh Railway’s legal framework is concerning. A New Age report says that efforts by successive governments to amends the 136-year-old British-era railway law with a view to improving passenger services, safety and preventing fraud have remained stalled for seven years without any tangible progress. Railways ministry officials say that the Railway Act 1890 needs to be revised to reflect technological advancement, incorporate provisions against digital fraud and update fines for various offences, many of which have become outdated and ineffective. They also say that the proposed reform would provide for harsher punishments for offences, improve passenger services and address allegations of underhand ticket sales by dishonest railway employees despite the introduction of online ticketing. The government has initiated a fresh review of the draft amendment to the law prepared during the previous administration after deciding that the earlier draft was inadequate. Officials, however, have indicated that the process of finalising the legislation will require further reviews and consultations and could still take several years. The proposed law with 157 sections is expected to replace the existing law and incorporate modern provisions aimed at better protection of passengers and railway property.
The prolonged failure to update the law has implications that extend far beyond an outdated statute. A legal framework that does not keep pace with technological and operational changes weakens the state’s ability to prevent emerging forms of fraud, hold offenders accountable and protect passenger rights. The introduction of online ticketing was expected to improve transparency. Yet, studies find that mismanagement, corruption and procedural weaknesses continue to undermine service quality and public confidence, indicating that technological innovation alone cannot overcome institutional shortcomings. The reported resistance of vested interests to stronger penalties further suggests that the reform process is constrained by institutional interests rather than guided by passenger welfare. Such resistance should reinforce, rather than weaken, the government’s resolve to enact meaningful reforms. The Anti-Corruption Commission earlier identified corruption in at least 10 areas of the Bangladesh Railway, including ticket sales, procurement, recruitment and land management, and recommended measures to improve accountability. The proposed legislation should, therefore, be accompanied by transparent implementation rules, digital audit mechanisms, regular independent oversight and defined accountability for officials responsible for enforcing the law. The new law is, otherwise, unlikely to deliver the institutional transformation necessary to improve governance, curb corruption and restore public confidence.
The government should, therefore, expedite the amendment process and ensure that the new law is accompanied by robust enforcement mechanisms, independent oversight and institutional accountability instead of allowing it to remain another delayed legal exercise. Legal reform will have little practical value if the institutions entrusted with implementing it continue to operate under the same culture of impunity that has impeded efficient railway services.
