Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar train services halted as tracks submerged

Torrential rain has left a section of the railway line near Muradpur in Chattogram city completely submerged, forcing a total suspension of train services on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar route.

Eight trains run daily on this network, with two pairs operating between Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, and another two pairs connecting Dhaka to the coastal town.

Abu Bakar Siddique, the station manager at Chattogram Railway Station, confirmed the suspension, stating that services were halted as a safety precaution due to water logging over the tracks. “Operations will resume once conditions return to normal.”

Days of relentless downpour have triggered widespread urban flooding across various parts of Chattogram city. The disruption began on Tuesday afternoon when floodwaters inundated the tracks in the Sunnia Madrasah area of Muradpur.

Anisur Rahman, Director of Public Relations for Bangladesh Railway, noted that a stretch between Sholashahar and Janalihat stations is currently under nearly two feet of water.

He further said that as water levels did not recede, the Dhaka-bound Cox's Bazar Express was stranded at Chattogram early this morning, unable to proceed to its destination.

The train is now scheduled to head back to Dhaka from Chattogram at 4:00 pm, Anisur Rahman added.

Similarly, the morning departure of the Saikat Express from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar was cancelled, leaving hundreds of commuters in the lurch. Among them was Ahad Chowdhury, who was travelling with a group of 13 friends.

“Our home is in Cox’s Bazar, and we were returning from a trip to Sylhet,” Chowdhury explained. “We took the Udayan Express to Chattogram and had pre-booked tickets for the Saikat Express. Because there was no prior announcement of the cancellation, we’ve been left completely stranded. Now that the trains aren't running, we'll have to make the journey by bus.”

The afternoon departure of the Probal Express from Chattogram also hangs in the balance, as it relies on the incoming Saikat Express rake from Cox’s Bazar to operate.

The route typically accommodates two major intercity trains from the capital—the Parjotak Express and the Cox's Bazar Express—both of which transit through Chattogram station en route to Cox’s Bazar. However, both services have now been officially cancelled due to the flooding.