Dhaka’s rail connectivity with Mymensingh, Tangail and Netrokona resumed at 7pm Saturday more than 30 hours after a train collision at the Joydebpur Railway Junction in Gazipur disrupted railway movement between Dhaka and the country’s northern regions.

Railway employees completed rescue work at 5.20pm Saturday allowing a train to leave for Dhaka at 7pm. Journeys between Dhaka and central-northern as well north-eastern districts resumed consequently.

However, it was still not clear whether rail journeys had resumed on Dhaka-northwest routes – that include districts like Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Rangpur – but the odds are they would resume soon.

Joydebpur Railway Junction Station Master Abul Hossain told reporters Saturday evening that rescue works had ended after the Friday morning collision that resulted in the derailment of nine coaches of two colliding trains.

Railway authorities had to ration trains and operate only one at a time on the other available rail track causing delays of up to five hours for regular commuters on Saturday.

BDST: 2130 HRS, MAY 4, 2024
MSK