Wherever I go in Bangladesh, I promote trains

“I have two personalities, and the uncompromisingly professional one takes over the moment I sit in the cab,” Shaju Kumar Das asserted.  

For someone who never imagined becoming a locomotive master (LM), this is a striking transformation. In his 20-year career at Bangladesh Railway, he has built a reputation for rigorously adhering to the rules and safety protocols. Though he is a stickler for regulations, he sees trains artistically. 

“A train is not just a mechanical system; it is also an element of nature. There is something poetic about trains. Their rhythms evoke nostalgia. Train journeys change how I feel. That is the romantic part,” he told The Financial Express.

His father was a railwayman, who wished that his son would be an LM. Having earned a diploma in mechanical engineering from Bangladesh Sweden Polytechnic Institute in 1998, he planned to study abroad and secured admission to a British university. But his parents wanted him to stay in Bangladesh as he is their only son.

“Encouraged by my father, I applied for the position of assistant locomotive master (ALM grade-2) after seeing a job advert. He thought this job would be perfect for me since I have always loved travelling,” said Shaju, who travelled solo in Nepal and Bhutan, as well as scaled Keokradong and Tazing Dong in Bangladesh.

After passing the written and oral tests, he joined the railway in 2005 and trained for two years. First, he was sent to the Workshop Training Unit (WTU) in Dhaka to learn all about locomotives for a year. This also included a three-month course in traffic, signalling, and tracks at the Railway Training Academy (RTA) in Chattogram’s Halishahar.

He received hands-on training the following year, learning directly from experienced LMs and ALMs. Grasping the technical details was easier for him as he was already a mechanical engineer. In his batch, he secured the highest score both at WTU and RTA.

“The first time I took the driver’s seat after finishing my training, it was a fascinating experience. I felt like I was given the responsibility of managing a giant,” said Shaju, who hails from Chattogram’s Patiya upazila and is a crew member of the railway’s east zone.

Shaju takes the responsibility of driving trains with absolute seriousness. This is his response to the reality that he is responsible for safeguarding the lives of hundreds of passengers and railway properties worth millions. While on duty, he switches off mobile data and keeps the phone in the bag. 

“I use the phone only if it is necessary for operational communication. I even speak harshly to my family and do not engage in unnecessary conversations. I may overshoot a signal if I get distracted even for a moment,” he stressed.

Over the years, he has operated every train in the railway’s east zone and feels deeply connected to the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar line. On November 5, 2023, a team led by the government inspector of Bangladesh Railway inspected the line before its official opening. Shaju was one of the crew members on that trip, becoming a part of the line’s history.

Besides, when former prime minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the line on November 11 that year and travelled from Cox’s Bazar to Ramu, he was the LM of that train. It was no ordinary trip, and precision was of paramount importance. The train had to be stopped with such precision that the premier could step directly onto the red carpet when the door opened.

He drove the train through what felt like a “battlefield,” with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) patrolling from a helicopter and policemen lining the tracks. He perspired and felt feverish moments before stopping the train, but still managed to halt with pinpoint accuracy. A joint director general of the railway came running and hailed him for his accuracy that “exceeded even the computer”.

In his eyes, Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar is Bangladesh’s most scenic route and Cox’s Bazar is the most beautiful station for its modern, impressive architecture. Cox’s Bazar Express, the first commercial train running between the southern beach town and the capital, had its maiden trip on December 1, 2023. On that trip, he took over as the LM at the Chattogram station for the remaining Dhaka-bound journey.

Earlier, in September 2023, he also drove the first trial train on the new cross-border Akhaura-Agartala line. Reminiscing about these milestones, he burst into tears. His father had always inspired him to be the best in his field, but the man died before witnessing any of the achievements of his son.

“I always obeyed my father. He knew his son would do very well one day, and I did,” he said, sobbing like a child. 

This journey was not smooth, and he had to overcome many barriers to reach where he is today. Due to his accomplishments, he had often been the target of professional jealousy. He has also drawn flak for his activities on social media, where he shares pictures and videos of train travels and his life as an LM, but critics cannot dishearten him.

“I could have featured only myself in my videos, but I do not do that. Wherever I go in Bangladesh, I promote trains. Every locomaster has a unique story, and I want to tell those,” he said. 

His Facebook videos reflect this. They feature not only trains running on beautiful curves and through scenic landscapes, but also LMs performing various duties. The large number of reactions and positive comments on his posts is a testament to the love and admiration he enjoys from his 135k followers.

He considers crossing the level crossing (LC) gates in curved sections the most dangerous part of his job. He maintains extra caution while crossing the class-1 LC gates (where road traffic is very high). If he senses danger, he decelerates.

The most adverse weather he faced was during a powerful cyclonic storm, which he could not particularly remember. He was driving at around 50km per hour, a limit set by the authorities. Suddenly, he saw a large trackside tree get struck by lightning.

“It happened right in front of me and felt like a big explosion caused by a missile attack. I drove past the tree, which died instantly. Had the locomotive, which was not lightning-resistant, been hit, it would have been catastrophic,” he recalled.     

In line with the railway act’s provision to always keep the engine clean, he does not allow anyone to sit or stand in the area around the cab. Passengers often travel this way for the sheer thrill of it or when trains are overcrowded, especially before Eid. But even on Eid journeys, he does not let any passenger climb up there.

“Many travellers get furious and say something like ‘are you human?’ and ‘don’t you celebrate Eid?’. I tell them if they travel this way and a head-on collision occurs, no one will survive to enjoy Eid with the family,” he said.

But attempts to convince overenthusiastic Eid crowds using logic usually fail. An adamant Shaju then seeks law enforcement officials’ intervention. He candidly admitted that not every ALM is comfortable working with him because he always plays by the book.

He also always wears the uniform, which he termed a manifestation of how seriously he takes his job. The uniform - white shirt with shoulder mark, black pants, black cap, black leather shoes, and red tie - has evolved over the years, as have the wearers’ designations. LMs in the past were called train drivers, while ALMs were firemen as they tended the fire to power steam engines.  

A major makeover came with the introduction of diesel engines. The authorities changed the designations and upgraded the garb to enhance the impression of professionalism that the job demands. In the railway's east zone, Shaju has played a big role in reinforcing this impression.      

“I actively encourage other LMs to dress properly. This is not an ordinary profession. We are highly-trained technical professionals, like pilots,” he stressed.   

Apart from making him very professional, the job has taught him decisiveness. Every second counts when he is on the move, and the failure to make quick decisions can have far-reaching consequences. Always keeping all his senses active, especially smell to detect if any engine part is burning and sight to watch out for any danger, has become second nature to him.     

Before night trips, he usually skips dinner and eats light food, including roti, bhaji, and halva. Tea is also on the menu. The hunger helps him keep drowsiness at bay as the train rattles onwards, piercing through the still of the night.

This is usually the time when strange incidents happen. He experienced one in 2018 when he was transporting oil by a freight train on the Faujdarhat-Chattogram Jetty Port Yard (CJPY) section, which is secluded and close to the sea. The faint headlight of the 2200 series locomotive could barely remove the darkness of the pitch-black night.

He suddenly saw a woman standing inches away from the tracks, her body wrapped in a sack. Applying the brake proved fruitless as she was quite close, and the train hit her, hurling her away. He saw the body rolling on the ground before getting out of sight.

“I felt a whirlwind of emotions, which affected my concentration. I somehow reached CJPY and drove back a few hours later. And there she was again - same place, same posture. 

“But she was at a safe distance this time, and I drove past without ramming into her. I do not know if she was a real human or ghost, but I felt so good to see her alive,” he recollected. 

He talked for a while about the guilty feeling that engulfs him when he considers himself responsible for an accident. Train accidents are usually fatal, causing horrific injuries or deaths. The victims’ bodies are often mutilated beyond recognition. 

Stretching his left hand, he gestured to show how he always keeps it in the braking system. He stressed that many LMs drive in a relaxed manner and do not always keep their hands on the brakes, but he exercises maximum caution to prevent accidents. As a result, his left hand often aches, but sticking to his guns has helped him avoid accidents many times.  

He has never faced any collisions since becoming an LM in 2018, but there have been many close calls. While crossing rail lines at points with no LC gates, vehicles suddenly got stuck on the tracks. He hit the brakes as soon as he noticed, and the vehicles lurched forward just a moment before the train ran past them.

“These are miracles. But they are also the results of split-second decisions and always remaining aware. In many cases where I thought a collision was inevitable, I could avoid it,” he said, noting that a train running at maximum speed will come to a halt in 30-60 seconds and travel 440 yards (around 400 metres) by then when brakes are applied.   

There will be a day when he will no longer get an adrenaline rush from such thrilling experiences. He painted a bleak picture of his retirement, saying he may not live long after leaving his job. This thinking is influenced by his mother, who was also a government employee and would often say she would die soon after retirement.

“My mom died a year after her retirement. Once I retire, I will have to find something related to the railway that will keep me busy. If I find that and my health permits, I may live. Otherwise, God may tell me my journey has ended,” he added.

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