Commuter train torched in Tangail, two compartments charred

A charred compartment of Tangail commuter train on 16 November in 2023
Prothom Alo

Miscreants set fire to a stationed commuter train at Tangail rail station in the small hours of Thursday, damaging three compartments.

Tangail rail station and fire service sources said the Tangail commuter train leaves the station for Dhaka at 7:00 am every day.

The train was stationed at Tangail rail station on Wednesday night like other days. Around 3:00 am, Panchagarh Express train entered the station hiding the commuter train from view.

At one stage, the passengers of Panchagarh Express started shouting, seeing fire and billowing smoke from the commuter train.

Railway employees, Railway police and Ansar members tried to douse the blaze immediately. In a few minutes, firefighters joined them and brought the fire under control.

Master of Tangail rail station, Tarikul Islam, said two compartments of the train have been charred while another one was damaged a bit. As a result, the train could not leave for Dhaka today, Thursday.

The damaged commuter train
Prothom Alo

The movement of other trains, however, remains normal, he added.

Tangail fire service and civil defence’s senior station officer Mohammad Idris said the fire was brought under control at around 3:00 am.

A visit to the rail station in the morning showed that everything inside two compartments have been burned in the fire while another one remains intact.

Following the incident, RAB and police members have been patrolling at the station while senior officials of police and district administration visited the spot.