At Karwan Bazar, one of Dhaka’s busiest railway crossings, trains pass within metres of a small brick building that looks as though it belongs to another era.
Day and night, gatekeepers sit inside this weathered structure, opening and closing the crossing gates that protect thousands of commuters, pedestrians and vehicles from oncoming trains.
Yet the building meant to shelter them has become a threat itself.
According to the railway workers, the gatehouse was built more than half a century ago.
Since then, little has changed except its condition. The walls are scarred by time, large patches of plaster have peeled away, and rusting steel bars now protrude from exposed concrete.
Deep cracks cut through sections of the structure, while the roof bears visible signs of decay.
Every passing train brings another reminder of the danger. As locomotives rumble across the tracks, vibrations shake the ageing building.
Workers describe moments when dust falls from the ceiling, and loose fragments drop from overhead. For those spending long hours inside, the fear is constant: not of an approaching train, but of the room collapsing around them.
Despite the risks, the gatekeepers have little choice but to continue their duties. Three workers rotate through shifts in each gatehouse, maintaining a round-the-clock watch over the crossing.
Altogether, twelve gatekeepers operate from four similar rooms at the site, forming an essential line of defence against railway accidents in one of the capital’s most congested areas.
The contrast is striking. Beneath the concrete spans of modern urban infrastructure and beside railway lines that remain vital to the city, these neglected buildings stand frozen in time.
While gatekeepers work tirelessly to ensure the safety of others, their own workplace has been largely forgotten.
For now, the crossing remains operational. But the crumbling gatehouses serve as a reminder that the people entrusted with public safety also deserve protection from the hazards they face every day.
