Railway travel still uncertain in Lalmonirhat

Railway travel between Lalmonirhat and the Burimari land port is still uncertain, since the derailed train is yet to be recovered.

Thousands of passengers are facing difficulties as the train movement on the route has been suspended since early Wednesday.

Sources said although the rescue workers rushed to the spot on Wednesday morning, the progress has been very slow.

Lalmonirhat Railway Divisional Mechanical Engineer (DME) Rezaul Karim said his department officials are still working to recover the derailed train.

“We cannot confirm when the derailed train will be retrieved and communication on the route will be restored,” he said, adding that the rescue workers were unable to use heavy tools as the soil was muddy.

On Wednesday, at least 30 people were injured when a passenger train was derailed at Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat early in the hours, suspending the communication between Lalmonirhat and Burimari.

The train derailed around 4:30am after pickets uprooted the railway tracks on the Lalmonirhat-Burimari land port route.

Assistant Traffic Superintendent (ATS) of Lalmonirhat Railway Division Sazzad Hossain said: “The railway connects the people of five upazilas in Lalmonirhat.”

Earlier, Sazzad had said communication on the route would resume on Thursday morning.