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Drivers stopped the trains from opposite directions in Sirajganj after noticing the anomaly
Published : 04 May 2024, 10:46 PM
A day after a head-on collision between two trains in Gazipur, two more trains headed towards each other on the same track in Sirajganj.
The drivers stopped the trains as they were able to notice the anomaly because of low speed, between 15 and 20 kilometres per hour, in the Bangabandhu Bridge area, averting a major disaster.
The Dhaka-bound Maitree Express from Kolkata was on line No. 5 of Bangabandhu Bridge West Station around 2:30pm when the Rajshahi-bound Dhumketu Express from the capital came from the opposite direction.
Dhumketu’s Locomaster Mohidul Islam and Assistant Locomaster Hedayetullah Al Amin stopped the train at that time. The Maitree Express driver also engaged the brakes.
Officials said Dhumketu was supposed to enter the station through line No. 4, but the pointsman mistakenly cleared the signal for entry into No. 5.
Dhumketu was dragged back and sent through No. 5 later. Both trains then left for their destinations.
The station’s in-charge Moniruzzaman, who goes by a single name, said a new platform and lines were built under Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Rail Bridge Project.
Some workers from the project were appointed to work along with the railway workers there and one of the new workers made the mistake after joining on Friday.
“Thet project workers cleared the signals. Their wrong point operation led the two trains to come onto the same line. They were supposed to work in coordination with us, but we were unaware of today’s operation,” said Moniruzzaman.
The project’s Director Al Fattah Md Masudur Rahman said the workers from the project were appointed on a contract basis because of a lack of railway manpower.
The stationmaster is also working on a contract after retirement, according to him. “I’ve heard that it was his mistake,” Masudur claimed.
He said steps will be taken after an investigation.
On Friday, the Tangail Commuter Train collided head-on with a freight train carrying oil in the Joydebpur Railway Junction area of Gazipur.
The locomasters and assistant locomasters of the two trains were hospitalised after the incident.
The collision also led to serious schedule disruption that caused severe suffering to passengers on Saturday.
