Dhaka-Ctg rail link restored after 10hrs

Rail communication on the Dhaka-Chittagong route was restored early today, around 10 hours after an inter-city commuter train derailed in the port city yesterday.

Three coaches of Mohanagar Godhuli, that left Chittagong Railway Station at 3:00pm yesterday, derailed near Pahartali about 20 minutes after departure, snapping the rail link between the port city and Dhaka and injuring about four people.

Bangladesh Railway Police’s Chittagong unit Officer-in-Charge Himangshu Das Rana said a relief train rushed to the spot around 8:15pm yesterday and started the salvage operation.

The train service resumed around 1:50am today, Firoz Iftekhar, divisional traffic office of Railway East Zone told The Daily Star.

About four people were injured during the derailment while hustling down from the train, said Ranjit Kumar Barua, OC of Pahartali Police Station in the port city.

Railway authorities formed a committee to investigate the train derailment incident, Md Abdul Hai, general manager of the railways (east zone) told our Chittagong correspondent.

Meanwhile, the authorities have also formed one more body to investigate another train derailment on the Dhaka-Chittagong route at Sitakunda yesterday morning.

Despite the derailment, train movement through Sitakunda was normal due to an alternative route, the general manager said.

Both the committee members have been asked to submit their reports within three working days.