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Two trains collided in a disastrous accident Monday near Bhairab junction in Kishoreganj that left at least 20 people dead by unofficial counts and many injured.
Train travels in Bangladesh Railway's eastern zone halted for hours since the accident occurred about 3:45 pm, with thousands of passengers getting stranded, witnesses and officials said.
The collision between a freight train and Egarosindhur Express train reduced three passenger-crammed coaches of the latter to wrecks, firsthand accounts of the tragic mishap said.
Rescuers from fire brigade, law-enforcing agencies like police, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and RAB rushed in and locals joined them in the rescue operation. But it took them time to start to salvage the derailed bogies that trapped many inside.
Sources said the accident occurred as the container train rammed the passenger train from behind at the Bhairab station.
Chief Operating Superintendent of Bangladesh Railway East Shahidul Islam told the FE that the accident occurred at 3:45 pm when the Chattogram-bound container train from Dhaka hit the running Egarosindhur while it was crossing the station through cross-over point.
He said the container train, which was supposed to wait at outer signal to allow the passenger train to leave the station, hit the last two coaches of the train, leaving passengers to face the tragic accident.
"The container train ignored the signal to stop," says the BR official on the basis of spot assessment.
District administration, civil surgeon and fire-brigade personnel rushed in and conducted the rescue operation, sending the dead and injured to local hospitals.
BR officials could not confirm total deaths though unofficial sources and media reports claimed the toll so far to be 20.
Jahangir Alam, the driver of the container train, escaped from the spot. He has been suspended.
Salvage trains from Akhaura and Dhaka drove to the spot to clear the trains from the track.
Bangladesh Railway formed two inquiry committees at zonal and divisional levels to investigate the accident and report within next three days.
Reports say this area looks to be a black spot with several train accidents taking place in recent times-another traumatic one still fresh in memory.
Monday's railroad accident, incidentally, happened just a day after Road Safety Day was ceremonially observed in Bangladesh.