A head-on collision between Lalmoni Express and Ekota Express at Ullahpara rail station in Ullahpara Sadar upazila of the district, killed two people and left at least 30 others injured, including the driver of the Lalmoni Express, at 03:00am yesterday.
The two were identified as Altaf Hossain, 35, of Harishpur in Natore, and Mojibur Rahman, 50, son of late Hossain Ali of Ekshunnyapara, Lalmonirhat. The injured were admitted to Sirajganj Sadar Hospital, Bogra Medical College Hospital and other local clinics.
Driver of Ekota Express, his assistant and Ullahpara station master have also been temporarily suspended for negligence of duty. Four separate probe committees were formed in connection with the accident.
The accident led to a nine-hour suspension of train communication between the north and the south and Dhaka. At around 12pm yesterday, communication was temporarily resumed on a single line.
Secretary of the Ministry of Railways, senior officials of the Railway Division and administrative officials working in the district and upazila levels rushed to the scene after the accident took place. Police, RAB, firefighters, railway security forces and other railway officials joined the rescue operation.
How the accident happened
The Lalmonirhat-bound Lalmoni Express was waiting on line one of Ullahpara rail station when it was hit by Ekota Express, which was travelling to Dhaka from Dinajpur. The wreck left the engines of both trains badly damaged and at least four compartments of each of the vehicles got derailed.
As soon as the trains collided, panic-stricken passengers attempted to get out through the windows.
AZM Tajul Huda, officer-in-charge of Ullahpara Model police station, said the accident happened because the Ekota Express was travelling on the same track as the Lalmoni Express and therefore collided with the latter head-on.
“Altaf Hossain and Mojibur died on the spot and 30 people, including the guard of the Lalmonirhat train, Shopon Kumar, were injured in the accident,” he added.
Salvage operation
Four firefighting units from Pabna and Sirajganj, RAB, rail police, railway security officials and Ullahpara police went to attempt a rescue right after the incident.
Pakshi divisional engineer (west zone) Masudur Rahman boarded a rescue train and took it to the spot.
Sirajganj deputy commissioner Md Billal Hossain, police super S Imran Hossain, general manager of the Rajshahi Railway Division (west zone) Abdul Awal Bhuiyan, Railways Ministry secretary Abul Kalam Azad, Railway director general Tafajjal Hossain and the Ullahpara Upazila Nirbahi officer visited the scene. They monitored the rescue operation and asked rescuers to speed up the operation. The Dhaka-bound Nilsagar Express from Syedpur crossed the station at around 12pm in the presence of the officials.
Four separate probe teams
Four separate investigation teams were formed by the Ministry of Railways, office of the Railway director general, Sirajganj District Administration and the West Zone Rail Division after the accident.
Railways Ministry secretary Abul Kalam Azad said a four-member team led by the additional director general (infrastructure) Amjad Hossain was formed from the ministry and office of the Railway director general. Other members of the committee included additional director general Shah Zahurul Islam, Khalilur Rahman and Abdul Awal Bhuiyan. The committee was asked to submit a report within four working days.
General manager of Rajshahi Railway Division (west zone) Abdul Awal Bhuiyan was directed to form another four-member committee with Chief Traffic and Operation superintendent of the same division Mia Jahan as the head and asked them to submit a report within three working days.
A five-member committee led by traffic authority Shafiqur Rahman was formed by the Pakshi divisional office. The committee was told to submit its report within 24 hours.
The fourth probe committee was formed by Sirajganj District Administration. According to the directive of deputy commissioner Md Billal Hossain, additional district magistrate Shafiqul Islam was made chief of the committee which is expected to come up with its report within three days.
Three suspended for duty negligence
Station master of Ullahpara rail station Khan Moniruzzaman, driver of Ekota Express Bankim Chandra Roy and assistant driver Abdus Shafi have been temporarily suspended on charges of negligence of duty. Railways Ministry secretary Abul Kalam Azad and Railway director general Tofajjel Hossain ordered their suspension.
Director of the Ekota Express, Azizul Haque, was brought under surveillance in connection with the accident.
Witness account
Morjina Begum, who was travelling by the Lalmoni Express, said the collision between the trains produced a sound like a big explosion and the passengers of the compartment she was in fell on the floor instantly and were injured. Many also jumped out of the window.
Eyewitness Abdur Razzak, an inhabitant of the nearby Shyampur village, said there was a loud ruckus from the passengers when the vehicles collided. Ironically, the station master and other railway officials began fleeing from their offices, rather than coming forward to rescue the passengers trapped beneath the wreckage, he said.
What rescue workers and officials say
Assistant director of the Pabna Fire Service Saiful Islam said negligence of duty by the signalman, railway security police, station master and other officials was the main cause for the accident. Officer-in-charge of Ullahpara police station Tajul Huda placed the blame on the absence of the lineman.
Pakshi divisional engineer (west zone) Masudur Rahman said the station master, lineman and drivers of Ektoa Express were supposedly responsible for the accident. General manager of the Rajshahi Railway Division (west zone) Abdul Awal Bhuiyan said there is no scope to dodge the probe about to be carried out by the Railway Division.
The Railway secretary and the Railway director general also reiterated that the probe teams would pinpoint the exact reason behind the accident.
“The computers in the station have the records on signals. That’s why none will be able to deny the allegation of negligence of duty against them. The two engines and four compartments that were wrecked are worth around Tk20-22 crore. Moreover, the worth of the lives that were lost is, of course, immeasurable,” note Railway secretary Abul Kalam Azad.