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5 years ago

At least four dead as Upaban Express crashes, snaps rail links with Sylhet

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Five coaches of the Dhaka-bound Upaban Express train from Sylhet have come off the tracks in Moulvibazar, killing at least four people and injuring scores.

The accident occurred when the train was crossing a bridge at Baramchal in Kulaura around 11:50pm on Sunday, snapping rail links between Sylhet and the rest of the country, railways officials and locals said.

Resident Medical Officer Dr 'Zakir' at Kulaura Health Complex said there were four dead bodies at the government facility from the accident.

They treated 65 people injured in the accident until 3:20am on Monday, the doctor said.

Eighteen of the injured were sent to the Moulvibazar General Hospital and Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital in 'critical condition' for life-saving treatment, he added.

Witnesses said they saw a family taking a body away from the scene, but there was no official confirmation.

Earlier, Kulaura Police Station OC Yardous Hasan said the damaged coaches of the train were disconnected from the engine before they fell off the tracks.

Apart from the five damaged bogies, one was seen undamaged at the site.

The bogies that crossed the bridge along with the engine safely started for Dhaka about 4:00am, bdnews24.com reported.

Moulvibazar Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shahjalal said police, RAB, BGB, and Fire Service and Civil Defence launched a rescue operation immediately after the accident.

Srimangal Station Master Jahangir Alam and Shamsher Nagar Station Master Kabir Hossain said a rescue train had started for the accident site.

Passengers who regularly travel between Dhaka and Sylhet said the accident occurred perhaps due to high pressure of passengers on the train as repair work on a bailey bridge at Shahbazpur in Brahmanbaria’s Sarail has halted Dhaka-Sylhet bus services.

Photos and videos believed to be of the scene and posted on social media showed several damaged coaches of a train lying on their sides with at least one compartment overturned as hundreds of onlookers gathered there.

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