2 suspended over Jhenaidah crash

Two Bangladesh Railway employees have been suspended for dereliction of duty over the train-bus collision at Jhenaidah's Kaliganj that left at least 11 dead and 156 others injured.

Railway’s west zone Manager Mosharraf Hossain said the authorities removed Barobazar Station Master Abu Saniab and gateman Abdur Rahman from duties on Friday, hours after the accident.

The railway authorities and district administration constituted two separate investigation committees to look into the reasons of the crash, he added.

The accident took place early on Friday when ‘Simanta Express’ travelling to Khulna from Syedpur smashed the crowded bus, which was carrying the bride's family and friends back from a wedding, at the Barobazar crossing.

Train links between Khulna and the rest of Bangladesh remained snapped for around seven hours after the accident.

Kaliganj Police Station OC Anwar Hossain told bdnews24.com though there were barriers at the crossing to stop vehicles when trains ply, they were not pulled down and the gateman was not present at the time of the accident.

Railway’s west zone General Manager Abdul Awami Mia and Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner Shafiqul Islam said the committees, each having three members, have been asked to submit their reports in a week.

DC Islam earlier said the ill-fated bus drove on to the unmanned railway crossing without checking for the incoming train.

“The train ploughed through the bus and dragged it more for than one kilometre along the tracks,” he said.