Dhaka, June 22 (bdnews24.com)—One person died and two rail employees were suspended after suspected signal errors led to a head-on collision between two trains at Kamalapur Station on Monday.
The Mahanagar Probhati Intercity, coming from Chittagong, ran into the Mymensingh-bound Isha Kha Express at around 2.30pm, as the latter was waiting to pull out of the capital's busy central terminus.
Six to seven passengers were injured, said officials.
At least three people—security guards Abdur Rahman, 28, and Nahid Hossain, 30 and passenger Rafiqul Islam, 40—were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital immediately after the accident.
Hossain later succumbed to critical injuries.
Rail chief Md Belayet Hossain said "signal failure" looked to have been the cause of the collision.
Railway authorities suspended the two station managers after a spot investigation by senior officials, including the director general.
Director general Belayet Hossain, additional directors general TA Chowdhury and Qazi Asadulalh were among those who visited the accident site in the wake of the collision.
The station's platform manager Khademul Bashar and cabin manager Saiful Islam were suspended "for their failure to properly signal the Probhati", Chowdhury told bdnews24.com.
"The railway's top officials believe the accident took place due to signalling errors," Md Shahjahan, a joint director general, told bdnews24.com.
"These two people were responsible for maintaining signals to the train."
Railway authorities have formed a four-member committee to investigate the exact cause of the accident.
Train movement resumed on the line at about 3.40pm.
"We removed the engine and carriages from the line and the Rajshahi-bound Silk City Express departed at 3.45 pm," Qazi Asadullah told bdnews24.com.
Railway chief engineer (east) Noor Mohammad is heading the probe body, said officials.
Chief mechanical engineer (east) Ratan Kumar Dey, chief operating superintendent Shah Mohammad Zahir and chief of signal and telecom (east) Shahid Alam Khandker are the other members.
"The authorities will take a final decision regarding the suspensions of the two station managers after the probe body completes its findings," Shahjahan said.
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