Staff Reporter :
Train communication between Dhaka and Chattogram has remained suspended since Sunday afternoon as nine bogies of the passenger train Bijoy Express derailed near Cumilla’s Nangalkot.
At least 30 people were injured during the accident, according to witnesses.
Three relief trains from Pahartoli, Laksham, and Akhaura left for the spot to salvage the derailed bogies.
Regarding the train derailment, Liakat Ali Mojumdar, the upper assistant engineer (track) of the railway, told the correspondent, “We initially suspect that the extreme heat caused the rail line to bend, resulting in the derailment of eight carriages of the Bijoy Express near Tezer Bazar, adjacent to Hasanpur Railway Station in Nangalkot around 2:00 pm today.”
Jashim Uddin, assistant director (operation) of Bangladesh Railway, said that the Jamalpur-bound ‘Bijoy Express’ train from Chattogram veered off the tracks in the area after crossing Gunoboti rail station around 1:45 pm as the rail tracks bent due to the hot weather, halting train movement on the Dhaka-Chattogram route.
The incident has temporarily suspended train operations from Chattogram to Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Chandpur. However, services from Dhaka to Chattogram remain unaffected.
Murad Ullah Bahar, officer-in-charge (OC) of Laksam Railway Police Station, said, “Many suffered minor injuries in the incident. However, the exact number of injured individuals is yet to be ascertained.
The upazila nirbahi officer of Nangalkot, the police station in-charge, and the chairman are present at the spot. We searched the entire train. No one was killed.”
On the other hand, there has been no decision taken to increase train fares before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, despite news circulating in different media outlets that train fares are increasing from April 1.
Railways Minister Md. Zillul Hakim confirmed on Sunday that no decision has been taken to increase train fares before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. He also refuted media reports suggesting that train fares would increase from April 1.
“The train fare will not increase in any way before Eid. Even train fares will not increase in the near future,” the railway minister said in response to a query.
According to reports published in various media outlets, the fare rates will be adjusted by withdrawing concessional facilities in the train. Railway fares have not been increased for a long time.
Due to the increase in the cost of fuel and other components, the operating costs of railways have increased. In order to increase income, it has been decided not to offer the discounts that are currently being given.
When asked about the matter, Zillul Hakim responded, “Is he (Bangladesh Railway Acting Director-General Sardar Shahadat Ali) the authority on the decision? I am saying that the fare will not increase now.
If we ever need to increase the fare, we will talk to you (journalists) and explain the situation to the common people, and then we will consider it. There is no reason to doubt it.”