Train services to north, south resume after 40 hours

Train links between capital Dhaka and the country’s northern and southern districts have resumed after almost 40 hours.

The repairs to the Pungli rail bridge at Tangail’s Elenga, damaged in the flood, was completed around 4pm Monday, Shawkat Jamil, a railway official, told bdnews24.com from the site.

A strong flood current had demolished a 20-foot section of the ground beneath the access road to the rail bridge on Sunday morning.

Rail services from Dhaka to the north and south were soon cancelled and the Maitri Express, which plies the Dhaka-Kolkata route, was cancelled for two days.

Repair work on the bridge began on Monday morning after materials arrived from Dhaka.

“A train carrying our repair tools crossed the bridge to reach its east-side station at 4:05pm,” said Oshim Kumar Talukdar, divisional manager of the Railways Department at Pakshi, Pabna.

Rangpur Express, a northern train headed to Dhaka, was waiting at a station on the east side of Bangabandhu Bridge.

“It was able to cross the Pungli rail bridge at 5:25pm after the passing of the train carrying our tools, he said.

Tickets of Rajshahi Silk City Express were put on sale following news of completion of the repair work.

Railway Director General Md Amjad Hossain said: “A couple of trains have made their way to Dhaka from stations in the north and south in the morning. They all will eventually cross the Elenga Bridge.”