Bangladesh train collision: At least 15 dead, several injured in train accident

• Image Credit: Google

• Oct 23, 2023 | Dhupali Das

The devastating incident occurred at Bhairab, a town situated approximately 80 kilometers from the capital city, Dhaka...

Digital Desk: A horrific train collision in Kishoreganj has left at least 15 people dead and over 100 injured as a passenger train and a cargo train collided head-on. The devastating incident occurred at Bhairab, a town situated approximately 80 kilometers from the capital city, Dhaka.

The crash transpired when the Dhaka-bound Godhuli Express, a passenger train, plowed into a freight train en route to Chattogram. Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that the collision left many individuals trapped beneath the wreckage, leading to concerns that the death toll may rise.

Sadiqur Rahman, a government administrator in Bhairab, stated, "We have recovered 15 bodies, and many are injured. The death toll will rise." He went on to add that more than 100 people sustained injuries in the accident.

As reports continued to emerge, it became evident that numerous injured passengers were still under the damaged carriages, awaiting rescue. Fire service personnel swiftly arrived on the scene to commence rescue operations, but the true scale of the tragedy remained uncertain. Local police official Sirajul Islam noted that the death toll could increase as rescue efforts persisted.

Bhairab Fire Station official Mosharraf Hossain echoed these concerns, saying, "The number of casualties could increase." Hossain further revealed that rescuers and local residents were working tirelessly to extricate survivors, with at least 12 bodies recovered thus far.

The catastrophe left three passenger carriages overturned, compounding the difficulty of rescue efforts. A fire service official on-site expressed the expectation that additional bodies and injured passengers might be discovered during the ongoing rescue operation. To facilitate these efforts, a rescue train equipped with cranes has been dispatched to the accident site.

Initial findings from the investigation suggest that the cargo train, known as Egaro Sindur, collided with the passenger train from behind, impacting two of its carriages. Anowar Hossain, the superintendent of Dhaka Railway Police, reported, "The freight train crashed into the Egaro Sindur from behind, striking two of the carriages."

Nazmul Islam, the acting general manager (east) of Bangladesh Railway, revealed that the container train had ignored a signal, resulting in the collision with the last three carriages of the passenger train. As a response to the preliminary investigation, the locomaster, assistant locomaster, and guard of the freight train have been suspended, according to Bangladesh Railway Director General Quamrul Ahsan.

This heart-wrenching train collision has sent shockwaves through the region, with authorities and rescue teams working diligently to ensure that all affected passengers are accounted for and provided with the necessary medical attention. The nation watches as the story unfolds and prays for the wellbeing of those involved.