UNB, Chattogram :
A speeding express train rammed into a microbus at a level crossing at Mirsharai upazila on Friday, killing at least 11 people who were returning from a visit to a popular waterfall in the hills of the area, police and fire service said.
The dead were all travelling by the microbus. leven of them died at the scene. Three passengers survived, one of them injured, according to the fire service. The identities of the dead were not immediately known.
They were travelling back home at Aminbazar of Hathazari from touring the Khoiyachora Waterfall in the hills of Mirsharai, according to accounts of rescue workers.
The tragedy occurred around 1.30pm at the unmanned rail crossing near Bara Takia station of the upazila in Chottgram district, police officials said.
Witnesses told UNB that the Chattogram-bound Mahanagar Provati express from Dhaka ploughed through the microbus, dragging it around a kilometre down the railway track, where the train also stopped.
All the casualties were from the microbus. Eleven of them died on the spot while another sustained injury, said Khorshed Alam, in charge of Sitakundu police outpost.
“There were 14 passengers on the microbus and two of them were rescued safely by members of two units of fire service deployed in the area”, said Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director (media cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate.
“The identities of the deceased could not be known yet but they were all male aged between 20-30 years. They were all tourists who went to visit Khoiyachora waterfall in Mirsharai from Aman Bazar area in Hathazari upazila,” he said.
“The microbus got on the rail track breaking through the bamboo barrier at the level crossing and got hit by the train. Rail operation on the route remained suspended after the accident,” said Ansar Ali, transportation officer of Bangladesh Railway (east).
The divisional railway authority on Friday formed a five-member committee to investigate the accident.
Bangladesh Railway (east) Divisional Transport Officer (DTO) Ansar Ali has been made convener of the probe committee.
Ali said they will submit the report as soon as possible even if no specific time has been fixed yet.
“We have already started the investigation. Trying to submit the report within three-four days,” he added.
The other members of the committee are – Divisional Executive Engineer-1 Abdul Hamid, Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Loco) Zahid Hasan, Commandant of Railway Security Force Rezanur Rahman and Divisional Medical Officer (DMO) Md Anwar Hossain.
Fatal accidents at level crossings involving running trains and vehicles like busses, cars, auto rickshaws or even paddle rickshaws are common in Bangladesh.
In many cases the level crossings remain unmanned. Many also blame the vehicles which defy traffic rules.
