Two teams to probe train derailment

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has formed two separate committees to investigate Friday's train derailment in Moulvibazar that halted rail communications of Sylhet with other parts of the country for 16 hours.

BR Chief Signal and Telecom Engineer Chandan Kanti Das and its Dhaka Divisional Acting Transport Officer Shafiqur Rahman will lead the three and the five-member probe committees respectively, said Shawkhat Hossain, station master of Sreemangal Railway Station, yesterday.

The committees formed by Dhaka Divisional Manager Gousul Monir have been asked to submit the probe reports within three working days, he added.

At least 11 compartments of the Dhaka-bound “Upaban Express” derailed at Satgaon station in Sreemangal around 1:00am on Friday. The rail link was restored 16 hours later.

Around 5:00pm on same day, Sayedur Rahman, assistant director of Bangladesh Railway, told The Daily Star that the salvage operation removed the derailed train and the lines were cleared.

Shakhawat Hossein, station master of Sreemangal Railway Station, also confirmed to The Daily Star that the lines were cleared at 5:15pm. It would take a short while to resume train operations.

Mujibur Rahman, assistant engineer of Sylhet divisional office of Bangladesh Railway, said Railways Minister Mujibul Haque has instructed local lawmaker Abdus Shahid to form a probe body over the incident.