Cox's Bazar-bound Parjotak express journey cancelled at midnight

Bangladesh Railway ultimately cancelled the journey of the Parjotak express to Cox's Bazar as floodwater did not recede from the railway tracks.

At around 12:45 am on Tuesday night, the Railway East Zone's Pahartali Control Room confirmed that the train's journey from Chattogram to Cox's Bazar had been cancelled.

Officials at the control room said they had issued the cancellation order for the Chattogram–Cox's Bazar section at around 11:30 pm. Passengers travelling on that route will receive full refunds of their fares.

However, many passengers had already begun leaving the train before the official cancellation announcement. Many chose to continue their journey to Cox's Bazar by road.

One of them was Mahmudul Hasan, who was travelling with his family from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar for a holiday. Their journey came to a halt in Chattogram.

After railway authorities moved the train from Sholoshahar to Chattogram Railway Station on Tuesday night, they got off the train at around 11:30 pm.

When contacted by phone at around 12:30 am, Mahmudul Hasan said, "As the train is not going, we have set off for Cox's Bazar by bus. We had no other option."

Lawyer Ruhul Amin was also travelling on the train. Frustrated by the prolonged delay, he got off the train with his family at around 4:30 pm and arranged alternative transport. He hired a vehicle for Tk 2,000. However, railway employees later asked him to re-board the train.

Speaking to Prothom Alo at around 8:30 pm on Tuesday, Ruhul Amin said, "We were assured that the train would depart shortly. So we let the vehicle go and boarded the train again. But even after several hours, the train did not leave. The incorrect information has caused us even greater hardship."

When contacted again by phone at around 12:45 am, Ruhul Amin said, "We are travelling by bus with our family."

The Parjotak express departed Kamalapur railway station in Dhaka at 6:15 am on Tuesday. It passed Sholoshahar railway station in Chattogram at 12:35 pm before stopping near the Sunnia Madrasah area.

As floodwater had submerged the railway tracks ahead, railway authorities returned the train to Sholoshahar railway station. The train had been scheduled to arrive in Cox's Bazar at 2:40 pm.

At around 9:30 pm, railway officials said they had moved the train from Sholoshahar railway station to the main Chattogram railway station to refill its water and fuel supplies. They also said they would decide on the departure time afterwards. However, they later cancelled the journey.

Nearly 1,000 passengers remained stranded on board the Parjotak Express for almost half a day. Torrential rainfall in Chattogram caused the disruption.

Heavy rain triggered waterlogging across many parts of the city, while low-lying areas went under water from the morning. As the day progressed, floodwater also submerged the railway tracks in the Muradpur area.

Railway officials had earlier said the Parjotak Express would depart for Cox's Bazar once the water receded from the tracks.

Bangladesh Railway also cancelled the Probal express, scheduled to depart from Chattogram for Cox's Bazar at 3:15 pm on Tuesday, and the evening Shaikat Express, which was due to travel from Cox's Bazar to Chattogram.

Nizam Uddin, station master of Jan Ali Hat Station in Chattogram, said the Probal express travelling from Cox's Bazar was scheduled to reach Chattogram by midday.

However, it could not arrive because floodwater had accumulated on the railway tracks. As a result, railway authorities cancelled its return journey.