Train schedule disruptions at Dhaka's Kamalapur railway station continued on Saturday, with delays stemming from Thursday's derailment of five coaches of the Panchagarh Express.
Restoration work remains incomplete, causing delays of up to three hours for morning departures.
Passengers have faced extended waits since early morning, as Kishoreganj Express, scheduled for 10:30am, had still not reached the platform by 5pm.
Hundreds of waiting passengers lay on the platform, while other trains experienced delays from two to ten hours.
Ekota Express, scheduled for 10:30am, was cancelled, with railway authorities notifying passengers of cancellations and delays.
Bangladesh Railway also has canceled the Sylhet-bound Jayantika Express and the Jamalpur-bound Jamuna Express.
This information was confirmed on Saturday by Dhaka Railway Station’s station master, Mohammad Anwar Hossain.
Kamalapur Station Manager Masud Sarwar confirmed Samakal that the derailment affected the downline from Dhaka for about eight hours, resulting in widespread delays.
Dhaka Divisional Manager Arif Mohiuddin expected normal schedules to resume Friday night, but the backlog continued into Saturday.
The derailment occurred two minutes into the Panchagarh Express journey due to a broken track.
No injuries were reported as the train was moving at a low speed.
Train operations resumed from Kamalapur around 8am Friday, following eight hours of rescue efforts.
Railways Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali noted that trains are operating on a manual system due to issues with the automatic system, causing additional delays.
Maintenance upon arrival in Dhaka further contributed to schedule disruptions.
On Saturday, Sonar Bangla Express, scheduled to depart at 7am, left at 9:35am, with other trains like Teesta and Egarosindur also delayed.
Passenger Masus Mia shared his frustration, saying he spent the day waiting for the Burimari Express, which finally departed at 6:30pm, despite being scheduled for 8:30am.
Kamalapur station's seven railway lines converge on a single line across the platform area. Repairs were completed on the affected track by Saturday morning, yet delays persisted as operations returned to full capacity.
