Bangladesh train accident: 20 killed, over 100 injured as intercity, freight trains collide in Bhairab

At least 20 people were killed and more than 100 others injured on Monday when a freight train hit a passenger train at Bhairab in Bangladesh’s northeastern Kishoreganj district about 80 kilometres from capital Dhaka. Around 3.30 p.m. (local time), in the Bhairab area of the Kishoreganj district, about 60 kilometres from the capital Dhaka, a goods train travelling in the direction of Chattogram collided with the rear coaches of the Egarosindur Godhuli Express, according to duty officer Sirajul Islam of Bhairab Railway Police Station. Even though around 100 passengers were rescued with injuries and taken to various medical facilities, fire service personnel on the scene claimed three passenger carriages were overturned and they believed many others were trapped under the decaying waggons. The death toll may rise further, said Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, adding that the fire service is conducting rescue operations at the spot. The accident occurred when Egarosindhur Express collided with a freight train at Bhairab station on Monday afternoon, a report by Bangladesh newspaper - The Business Standard - quoted Bhairab railway police station Officer-in-Charge Alim Hossain Shikdar as saying. The officer further informed that after departing from Bhairab station on Monday afternoon, Dhaka-bound Egarosindhu Express train departed had switched tracks to enter a different line. [caption id=“attachment_13287382” align=“alignnone” width=“300”] Source: X/@muktadirnewage[/caption] “Before the entire train could complete its transition to the new line, another container train entered the same line and collided with the rear of the passenger train, causing several compartments to derail,” the officer said. Movement of trains on the Dhaka-Chattogram-Sylhet route have been suspended following the accident. With inputs from agencies