Train service from Chattogram suspended as flood situation deteriorates

Train service from Chattogram to the rest of the country has been suspended as the flood situation in the port city has worsened.

Train service from Chattogram was brought to a halt afternoon on Thursday as the railway tracks from Feni to Fazilpur were submerged and the Cumilla rail line was affected by flood waters.

Three trains had left Chattogram for Dhaka and Sylhet on Thursday, but the Sylhet-bound train eventually returned due to water on the route.

Saiful Islam, the divisional manager of Eastern Railway, said “The flood water is flowing above the rail lines and railway bridge in Feni. There is also waterlogging at the station in the city. The rail lines were also flooded in several places in Cumilla and Sylhet.”

“It is not possible to operate the train service in this situation. That’s why the authorities decided to suspend it. A decision will be taken over the resumption of services once conditions improve.”

Saiful said, “The Subarna Express and Chattala Express left for Dhaka in the morning and reached their destination. But we were forced to bring back the Sylhet-bound Paharika Express train.”

Under the railway’s eastern sector, as many as 11 intercity trains run from Chattogram to various destinations including Dhaka, Sylhet, Jamalpur and Chandpur.

In addition, several local and commuter trains run to destinations such as Cox’s Bazar, Nazirhat, Chandpur, Dhaka and Mymensingh. All the train services came to a halt due to the flooding.

The train service from Dhaka to Sylhet has been suspended as the rail line was submerged by downstream runoff from India’s Tripura.

The decision to halt train services on the Sylhet route was taken around 1pm, according to Kamalapur Railway Station Master Md Anwar Hossain.

He said, “We have suspended train service to Sylhet at 1pm as the rail lines are inundated. In addition, a railway bridge has also been affected on the route.”

As many as 43 Upazilas in Cumilla, Feni, Chattogram, Khagrachhari, Noakhali and Moulvibazar have been inundated due to mountain runoff and heavy rainfall. Two people have died amid the flooding.

The Flood Forecast and Warning Centre said the flood situation worsened due to heavy rainfall in the low-lying areas of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Cumilla and Chattogram.

The heavy rainfall is likely to ease in the north-eastern and its upstream areas; the south-eastern, eastern and adjacent upstream areas in the next 24 hours, the warning centre said, citing different weather forecasting agencies.

Hence, the flood situation in the low-lying areas of north-eastern Moulvibazar, and areas adjacent to the Monu, the Khwai and the Dholai rivers in Habiganj may stabilise initially and then improve.