11 perish as train hits microbus

CHATTOGRAM, Jul 29: A total of 11 persons died and three others were injured in a train accident in Mirerswari area on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway around 2:00 pm on Friday.
The accident occurred when a Chattogram-bound inter-district train Mohanagar Provati hit a tourist-loaded microbus also bound for the same destination at Khoyachora rail crossing.
Local sources said the train was crossing the spot around 2:00 pm while a speedy microbus was also crossing the same violating the signal.
The train hit the microbus killing 11 passengers on the spot and wounding three others severely. The injured passengers are sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for treatment.
Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mirerswari police station, confirmed this to the media.
"Police rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies. They also sent the injured to the CMCH…," he said.
However, the identities of the victims were yet to be known till the filing of this report at 6:00 pm.
Bangladesh Railway (eastern zone) general manager Md Jahangir Kabir said the gateman of the rail crossing shut the gate for the train's crossing.
But the driver of the microbus opened the gate flouting the signal, he maintained.
"We will constitute a committee to investigate the matter and take action in this connection," Mr Jahangir concluded.
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