Chattogram-Cumilla rail communication restored after 15 hours

Train movement has resumed on the Chattogram-Cumilla route after about 15 hours of a train derailment at Nangalkot in Cumilla.

After the tracks were cleared, Cox's Bazar Express left from Nangalkot at 4:40am today (18 March) for Cox's Bazar. Paharika Express departed at 4:39am from Laksham for Chattogram and Chattala Express departed around 4:48am from Laksham for Chattogram, confirmed Divisional Manager of Railways Mohammad Saiful Islam.

He said, "We have cleared the down line after a long rescue operation. Train movement on that line has already become normal. All the trains that left for Chattogram or Dhaka, which were stuck at various stations, have left for Chattogram.

"Another line still has some bogies on it. All the trains that got stuck in Chattogram left one after the other and will be stationed in nearby stations," he added.

This official said that since yesterday (17 March) till now about 15 passenger trains and some freight trains were stranded after leaving for the destinations.

"We do not know when the whole restoration work will be finished. Because the line has been badly uprooted. Although it will take time to repair the while track, this one operational line will help reduce the sufferings," Mohammad Saiful Islam also said.

On Sunday (17 March) around 2:15pm, Jamalpur-bound Bijoy Express met with an accident at Tejer Bazar area adjacent to Hasanpur railway station of Cumilla's Nangalkot upazila. Eight coaches of the train derailed and the railway line was extensively damaged, disrupting rail communications between Chattogram, Dhaka and other locations.

At least 20 people were injured in the accident.

Liakat Ali Majumder, deputy assistant engineer (track) of Cumilla Railway, told The Business Standard that they primarily suspected that the derailment was due to bending of rail tracks caused by sudden hot weather.

Meanwhile, a five-member probe body, headed by Chattogram Railway East Division Transport Officer Anisur Rahman, has been formed to look into the incident.