Rail communications between Dhaka city and three northern districts remained snapped for over eight hours after derailment of six compartments of a passenger train at Pirgacha in Rangpur about noon on Tuesday.
Rail communications between Dhaka and Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram districts remained disconnected and rail links between Dhaka and three other northern districts, namely Nilphamari, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh, were also disrupted during the time.
No causalities were reported. A probe committee has been formed.
Stranded passengers stuck in different trains in the midway of their travel suffered, while many others waited for long at different stations as they trains delayed due to the incident.聽
Till filing of this report at 8:30pm Tuesday, the rail communications on the lines were yet to be restored, Bangladesh Railway officials said.
Pirgacha railway station master Jiarul Islam said that the incident happened to Padmarag when it was about to leave the station heading for Lalmonirhat in the afternoon.
The train arrived at Pirgacha station from Santahar at 12:30pm and after a brief stop it started its departure and reached the outer signal area of the station when a plate on the line separator broke, he said.
It then caused the last six compartments of the train to derail, he said, adding that there were no casualties.
Eyewitnesses and passengers reported that the derailment prompted a crowd of onlookers to gather at the scene.
Many passengers have complained of losing their belongings in the crowd after the accident.
鈥榃e are assuming primarily that some sleepers and carriage trolleys might have been weak before the derailment,鈥� Abu Hena Mostafa Alam, Lalmonirhat divisional railway manager said.
Following the incident the railway formed a four-member investigation committee led by Lalmonirhat divisional transportation officer Abdullah Al Mamun.
The investigation team started working to determine the exact causes behind the derailment, said Abu Hena.聽
He also mentioned that a relief train from Lalmonirhat was deployed to the site soon after the derailment, but the recovery work to clear the track was hindered by heavy rainfall.
鈥榃e hope to resume the communication by 10:00pm tonight,鈥� he added.
The derailment has caused disruptions to several northern intercity and commuter trains, including Rangpur Express, Burimari Express, Kurigram Express, Dolonchapa and Korotoa.