3 injured as trains collide in Joydebpur

At least three people, including a loco master, were injured in a collision between a passenger train and a freight train at Joydebpur Junction Railway Station in Gazipur yesterday.

The Dhaka-bound Tangail commuter train with only the staff on board and no passengers crashed into a stationary oil tanker train at Joydebpur Outer Signal (Kazibari) area on the Dhaka-Tangail rail route around 10:45am, said Joydebpur Junction Officer Sirajul Islam.

Several coaches of the passenger train were derailed and the rail connectivity snapped on the Dhaka-Tangail, and Dhaka-Mymensingh routes, stranding several trains, Joydevpur Junction Railway Police In-charge Setabar Rahman said around 4:00pm.

Three trains have been able to operate on the routes so far, but full-fledged operation is yet to resume, he added.

Following the incident, railway police and Joydebpur Junction officials launched a salvage operation, said Zahid Sheikh, commander of Joydebpur Junction Special Response Team.

The loco master of the Tangail commuter train was seriously injured and is undergoing treatment with two other staffers of the same train at Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, said Abul Fazal, emergency medical officer at the hospital.

Joydebpur Junction Station Master Hanif Mia said, “Since it was a Friday, the commuter train did not ferry passengers. It was being brought to Dhaka for routine servicing. Luckily, no one was trapped under the derailed coaches.”

Meanwhile, a three-member enquiry committee has been formed and the persons have been suspended over the mishap.

They are Joydebpur Junction Station Master Md Hashem, and pointsmen Mostafizur Rahman and Saddam Hossain, said Deputy Commissioner Abul Fate Mohammad Safiqul Islam.