Rains halt Ctg train service for 5hrs

Rail communication of Chittagong with the other parts of the country including Dhaka remained suspended for five and a half hours as non-stop downpour washed away soil under the railroad.

However, train service between Dhaka and Sirajganj came to a halt since last night following a train derailment caused by damaged sleepers in Sirajganj Sadar upazila.     

CHIATTAGONG

The authorities suspended the train services of Chittagong with the rest part of the country around 11:20am as the heavy downpour washed away soil under the railway tracks in between Bhatiary and Kumira in the district, said Zobeda Akter, deputy director (public relation) of Bangladesh Railway East Zone.

The rail communication was restored around 4:00pm, said Zakir Hossain, Division Transport Officer (DTO) of Bangladesh Railway East Zone.

Earlier, the heavy downpour washed away soil under the railway tracks in between Bhatiary and Kumira in the district, said Zobeda Akter, deputy director (public relation) of Bangladesh Railway East Zone.

In the port city, the met office recorded 105 mm rainfall in six hours till 12:00pm today, reports our Chittagong correspondent quoting Sheikh Farid Ahmed, forecasting officer of the met office.

A few vehicles were seen plying in the city streets due to incessant rainfalls. 

SIRAJGANJ

Rail communication on Dhaka-Sirajganj route remains suspended since last night after two bogies of a container train veered off the tracks at Raipur Railway Station in Sirajganj Sadar upazila around 11:00pm yesterday, reports our Pabna correspondent.

The derailment took place as some sleepers were damaged due to the torrential rain, said Shafiqur Rahman, divisional traffic officer of railway in Pakshey division.

The goods-laden train was going to Sirajganj from Ishwardi of Pabna.

Following the derailment, train services of Sirajganj with Dhaka, northern and southern districts remain suspended till noon when the report was filed.

Operation to salvage the derailed bogies started 9:00am today, which is expected to be completed before this evening, the railway official said.

Monirul Islam Firozi, railway divisional engineer of in Pakshey division, told our correspondent that around 99 percent of total of 650 kilometres rail line under the west zone has become vulnerable due to the heavy downpour.

Around 99 percent rail line in the west zone has been set up on different embankments and soil under railway sleepers are being washed away due to the downpour, he added.