Following the Muslim celebration of Biswa Ijtema by the River Turag in Bangladesh, where millions of people congregate for prayer and a three-day celebration, many people needed to take a train to return home. Typically, trains that operate in the region service between 2,000 and 5,000 people. But when the final prayer finished, over 30,000 people attempted to board the train at the Tongi Railway Station.
Thousands not only jammed into the train cars, creating a complete commute from hell, but thousands more climbed on top of the vessel, practically obscuring the view of the conductor. The danger of the ride was compounded by the fact that the train could reach speeds of up to 50 mph.
People routinely fall off the train and risk injury or death as a result of the dangerously busy train ride. Metro.com reported that one person who was nearby said that he “saw about six people fall while [he] was taking the photos.” Others took selfies with the spectacle in the background.
Images from the day certainly put morning commutes into perspective. No New York City subway or morning train rides in Japan hold a candle to what occurs every year after the celebration in Bangladesh. But one has to wonder: is it really worth it?
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