Investigation committee inspects damaged rail line in Sreepur

Speed limit of all trains is being controlled in a portion of half kilometers of rail line on the Dhaka-Mymensingh route in Bonkhoria area under Sreepur upazila of Gazipur that was damaged in an accident.

Meanwhile, members of the committee formed to investigate the incident by the railways ministry reached the accident spot today, Thursday around 10:00am.

For the time being, trains are being operated on that part at the highest speed of 10 kilometres.

The train operation on this route has become almost normal from today, Thursday morning.

Joint secretary at the railways ministry, Shah Imam Ali Reza is heading the three-member committee.

Members of the committee inspected the damaged rail line for long. At the time they talked to an official on board Mohanganj Express train that met with the accident

A total of seven compartments including the locomotive of Intercity Mohanganj express train derailed at Bonkhoria area under Prohladpur union of Sreepur around 4:30 am on early Wednesday.

One passenger named Aslam Hossain (35) from Mymensingh’s Gafargaon was killed while 12 others were injured. Miscreants cut off some portions of the rail line in Bonkhoria area at some time on Tuesday night. So the train derailed even before it reached Bhawal rail station.

After visiting the spot, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police in Dhaka range, Syed Nurul Islam, on Wednesday said that the miscreants used oxy-acetylene to cut off the rail line. Oxy-acetylene and LPG cylinders have been seized from the spot.

Visiting the spot in person between 10:00 and 11:00 am today, Thursday, a sign board written ‘10’ on it to control the speed was found installed about 300 metres away from the accident spot.  

Two trains crossed the accident spot at a very low speed during that time. While the trains are running, a railway employee is giving signals waving a red banner. At least 50 railway workers worked on the damaged line. The locomotive and the compartments of the Mohanganj Express are scattered on either sides of the damaged rail line.

Head of the investigating committee Shah Imam Ali Reza from the spot told Prothom Alo, “We are visiting the area in person. We’ll check the necessary documents.”

“We have talked to people involved with the train. And we’ll talk to everyone else concerned. Then we’ll submit our report before the authorities within the stipulated time. We have been told to submit the report within three working days,” he added.

Railway sources said that the damaged rail line was repaired within 15 hours of the accident. All trains except for Dewanganj commuter, Mohua and Balaka express started operating on this route from Wednesday night.

And for the time being, all trains are running at the maximum speed of 10 kilometres from Thursday morning.