Rail disaster averted in Nilphamari

A major rail disaster was averted in Nilphamari when locals chased away a group of criminals tampering with railway tracks, report agencies.

Meanwhile, train communication on Gazipur's Joydebpur-Mymensingh route resumed early Thursday morning a day after a commuter train derailed in Bankharia area of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur on Wednesday morning, leaving one dead and five injured.

In Nilphamari the inter-city Simanta Express was saved from a dangerous derailment in Nilphamari's Hiralal Railghunti area around 10 pm on Wednesday, said Domar Upazila executive officer Md Nazmul Alam.

As many as 72 fishplates -- a flat piece of metal connecting rail tracks -- have been recovered from a sack left at the scene after locals chased the saboteurs away.

Another train scheduled to run along the same route, was also saved due to the efforts of the locals.

Aminul Islam Ripon, the chairman of Boragari Union Parishad, told reporters, "At night, the locals heard the sound of fishplates being removed near the railway tracks. They saw a group of criminals uprooting the plates from the rail line."

"They tried to catch the criminals, but they got away," he added.

Shakhawat Hossain Babu, the chairman of Jorabari Union Parishad, said if the train had derailed, it could have resulted in significant casualties.

According to Nazmul Alam, the police and railway intelligence department are investigating the matter to identify the criminals.

The Simanta Express train left the Domar station one and a half hours after the incident. However, the Barendra Express from Rajshahi was delayed at the station for some time.

Railway officials told reporters, "Currently, train service is resuming as normal."

Meanwhile report from Gazipur adds: Seven coaches of the Mohanganj Express and its engine derailed at around 4 am on Wednesday as saboteurs tampered with the tracks in Gazipur.

Though the damaged rail tracks was repaired on Wednesday evening the train operation resumed on Thursday morning.

'Bhawal Express Train' from Joydebpur left for Mymensingh around 5:50 am and Jamalpur Commuter Train and Jamuna Express Train from Mymensingh entered Dhaka after the repair work, said Joydebpur Station Master Md Hanif Miah.

On the other hand, members of the two probe committees formed by Gazipur district administration and Railways Ministry have already started the investigation by inspecting the spot on Thursday morning.

The ministry's Joint Secretary Shah Imam Ali Reza, who is leading the three-member probe committee, said they visited the spot as part of investigation in the morning and would prepare a report mentioning the reason behind the derailment and next course of action.

He said they would be able to submit the investigation report within the three working days.

Another committee led by Gazipur's additional district magistrate has also been investigating the incident.

The engine and seven bogies of the Dhaka-bound Mohanganj Express Train from Netrokona derailed when it arrived in Bankharia upazila, leaving one dead.

Train communication on the Joydebpur-Mymensingh route remained suspended till Thursday morning since the derailment.

Visiting the spot, Gazipur deputy commissioner Abul Fateh Mohammad Shafiqul Islam suspected that those enforcing the blockade, aiming to disrupt vehicle and train movement, removed a 20-foot stretch of rail track deliberately.