Commuters suffer as floods wash away railway track

SYLHET, July 04: Commuters suffer a lot as the rail track on the Sylhet-Chhatak route has been washed away in places by devastating floods that hit Sylhet and Sunamganj districts recently.
During a visit to the area, it has been found that soil and stones under the rail lines had been displaced in places. Even big ditches had developed at many points.
According to the locals, floods caused severe damage to the railroad at a time when the authority was planning to resume rail service after a long closure amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Syed Harun Ur Rashid, a resident of Chhatak upazila, said, "The rail section was the worst-hit by floods. We want immediate reconstruction of the rail line on Sylhet-Chhatak route to facilitate the journey."
Rahim Uddin, another resident of the upazila, said two years ago, the authority concerned started the expansion work of the rail network from Chhatak to Sunamganj district town. Once implemented, it would connect Sunamganj with Sylhet as well as the rest of the country.
"It could take us just 45 minutes to travel by train on the 35-km section from Sylhet to Chhatak Bazar Railway Station of Sunamganj," he added.
He said three trains used to run on the rail section covering Khajanchigaon, Sathpur, Afzalabad and Chhatak Bazar, but the number of trains was reduced time and again for the reasons unknown.
It was the main link with Sylhet and other places like Chhatak industrial area for trade and commerce. Chhatak Cement Factory, Chhatak Paper & Pulp Mill in addition to a number of limestone factories used to play a vital role in regional trade. Yet Lafarge-Holcim Cement Factory is there.
Ataur Rahman, trader at Chhatak Bazar in the upazila headquarters, said, "Gushing waters had displaced soil and stones from under the sleepers creating innumerable ditches. If not repaired immediately, stealing of valuable parts and rails might take place."
Karim Sheikh, a local businessman, said, "We want immediate reconstruction of the rail line on Sylhet-Chhatak route."
An official at Bangladesh Railway said, "We could not start assessing the damage as floodwater remained in places."
He further said, "A team would soon visit the section. A detailed assessment on the damages would be done after the full recession of water".
It is learnt that the Sylhet-Chhatak rail section was constructed in 1954 for transporting stones, sand, limestone and orange etc alongside other goods and items to and from Sylhet-Sunamganj region. Besides, it played a pivotal role in the communication as road was not used much.

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