Fatal train collision in Brahmanbaria; 16 dead, over 100 injured

FT ONLINE

At least 16 passengers were killed and over 100 others injured in a fatal collision of two trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram route in Mandbagh area here early Tuesday.

The deadly collision between Dhaka-bound Turnanishita from Chattogram and Chattogram-bound Udayan Express from Sylhet took place around 3 am, said Deputy Commissioner Hayat-Ud-Dowllah Khan, who visited the spot right after the crash.

Ten people died on the spot, while three died at Kasba Upazila Health Complex, two at Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital and one at Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

Several units of Fire Service from Brahmanbaria Sadar, Akhaura and Kosba rushed to the spot and carried out the rescue operation.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Kosba, Akhaura and Zila Sadar Hospital.

Two relief trains from Akhaura and Laksam railway junctions rushed to the spot and were conducting rescue operations till filing the report around 11:50 am.

Turna Nishita Express hit bogie no. Jha of Udayan Express when the latter was changing its track at Akhaura Railway Junction, Loco Shed In-Charge Md Delwar Hossain further said.

Two compartments were badly damaged, he said.

The deceased passengers include nine men, four women and three children.

Five of the deceased were identified as Al Amin, 35, son of Ayub Hossain of Habiganj, Md Yusuf, 35, son of Hasan Ali of Anwarpur, Sujon, 24, of Chunarughat, Mojibur Rahman, 50, of Chandpur's Hajiganj, and his wife Kulsuma, 42.

Brahmanbaria Superintendent of Police Md Anisur Rahman confirmed the matter to FT Team.

The bodies have been kept on the ground of a local school.

The district administration has opened an information centre near the station soon after the accident, said Abdullah Khalid, station officer of Kasba Fire Service.

Earlier in the day, Rail Minister Nurul Islam Sujan while visiting the spot in the morning said the loco master of Turna Nishita Express is responsible for the accident.

The rail minister said the families of each of the dead victims will be given Tk 1 lakh as compensation from the railway ministry and Tk 25,000 from district administration.

Besides, the injured will get Tk 10,000 from the ministry, said Shariful Alam, senior information officer of railways ministry.

Dhaka’s train services with Chattogram also remained suspended for seven hours but the service resumed at 10:25 am after the authority cleared the track, said Railways Ministry information officer Shariful Alam.

Turna Nishita Express also left the spot for Dhaka around 10:48 am.

Turna Nishita loco master, 2 others suspended

Bangladesh Railway authorities have formed two separate probe bodies while Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner formed another probe body to investigate the deadly incident.

Bangladesh Railways suspended three of its staff including loco master and assistant loco master of Turna Nishita Express which rammed into another intercity train Udayan Express early today, killing at least 16 people.

The suspended employees are Turna Nishita’s loco master Taser Uddin, assistant loco master Apu Dey and working guard Abdur Rahman, Shariful Alam, senior information officer of railways ministry said.

Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid, in a message, expressed profound shock at the deaths in a fatal collision.

The President also extended deep condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in the accident and prayed for the eternal peace of the victims.