Train accident: Egarosindur express was crammed with passengers

"I heard a large bang around minutes after the train left the Bhairab station. At first I thought another train was passing by, moments later it seemed like a storm. I can’t say anything more," said Sadek, a student of Titumir College and passenger of Egardosindur express, while sharing his experience after the fatal train accident in Kishoreganj’s Bhairab.

After regaining consciousness, Sadek said he discovered himself amid a pile of human bodies inside a bogie of the train. He somehow scrambled out of the train through the window with his friend Nayeem.  

22-year-old Sadek, from Gabtoli village under Boloi union in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila, is now admitted to Bhairab upazila health complex with broken hand and injured leg. A third year student of maths department, Sadek was going to Dhaka by Egarosindur express to attend exams on 31 October.

Sadek and his friend Md Nayeen boarded the second to last bogey which was crammed with passengers. Over hundred passengers were standing on that bogie alone.

At least 17 were killed and over 50 injured as another freight train hit the last two bogies of the passenger train at the outer point of Bhairab railway station. The rail communication between Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Kishoreganj has been suspended after the accident.

Bhairab upazila health complex’s health and family planning officer Bulbul Ahmed told Prothom Alo in the evening that 70 were admitted so far to the complex and 21 were sent to Dhaka and hospitals nearby for advanced treatment.

More physicians, nurses and medicine from Kuliarchar upazila health complex have been brought in the Bhairab upazila health complex, he added.

Kishoreganj deputy commissioner (DC) Abul Kalam Azad and police superintendent Md Rasel Sheikh have visited the spot.