Home
+
Published : 19 Mar 2026, 12:27 AM
Railway officials suspect that the Nilsagar Express went off the track in Bogura’s Adamdighi after the driver “did not heed warning signals”.
A railways ministry official said on Wednesday night that the driver ignored banners and messages, alongside official orders before the crash.
The train, carrying Eid-bound passengers from Dhaka to Chilahati in Nilphamari, departed the capital at 6:45am and stopped at Santahar station around 2pm before continuing toward Tilakpur.
Shortly after, at Bagmari in Adamdighi, nine of the 13 coaches derailed, leaving 66 passengers injured.
Ministry spokesperson Rezaul Karim Siddiqui said: “Before the accident, engineering staff were carrying out track repairs with flags and messages to alert trains.
“Orders were also sent from the station. Preliminary investigation suggests the locomotive driver did not follow the signals, which likely caused the derailment.”
Of the 66 injured, 20 were admitted to Naogaon Sadar Hospital, 40 received primary treatment and were discharged, and six others were treated at Adamdighi Upazila Health Complex before release.
A four-member investigation committee has been formed under the chief transportation officer, including the mechanical engineer, chief engineer, and chief signal engineer of Bangladesh Railway.
Rajshahi Division Chief Engineer Ahmed Hossain Masum said: “The signals were given. It appears there may have been a misunderstanding. The driver may not have followed the signals precisely, or he may not have received them at all.”
Witnesses described chaotic scenes.
A 25-year-old local said: “I arrived at 6am and saw a minor track fault, which I reported to railway staff. Two trains were slowed to pass safely, and repairs began.
“At 2pm, the Nilsagar Express arrived. Red banners were raised about a kilometre from the site, but the driver ignored them. He continued despite repeated attempts to stop the train, leading to the crash.”
Rescue operations began around 7:45pm Wednesday, with relief trains sent from Ishwardi and Parbatipur.
Officials said clearing the derailed coaches could “take all night”, with full restoration of the line expected Thursday morning.
The derailment disrupted rail travel to northern Bangladesh, as all trains pass through the crash site.
The ministry announced an alternative arrangement allowing passengers from Dhaka and Panchagarh to disembark on either side of the accident site and continue their journeys on connecting trains.
Authorities expressed regret for the temporary disruption to Eid travel.
