Authorities are still investigating to find the cause of the horrific accident at Bhairab in Kishoreganj as the container train went in front without obeying any signal.
Kishoreganj Bhairab Bazar Station Master Md Yusuf said that an investigation is going on regarding the container train moving forward without obeying any signal. The investigation looks at the signal tracking map analyzed every second. These records and footage are in the Railway Directorate in Dhaka. It will come out who was actually negligent in the accident.
Those concerned say that the destruction happened for just 10 disparity seconds.
Meanwhile, one more person named Billal Mia died among the injured in the accident. His house is in Belab upazila of Narsingdi. He was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Tuesday night with injuries. He died there. With this, the death toll in the accident has increased to 18.
Among the dead are four members of the same family. They are - Sujan Mia (34), son of Mohiuddin of Banati Gangatiyapara village of Rajgati Union, Nandale Upazila of Mymensingh, his wife Fatema Begum (25), and their two sons Sajeev (11) and Ismail (8) respectively. On Tuesday morning, their bodies were buried in the family cemetery after the funeral at their home.
Sujan Mia lived in a rented house with his wife and two sons in the Mohammadpur Tajmahal Road area of Dhaka. The family used to sell coconut in the surrounding area. He came to take part in his nephew's wedding ceremony at Banati village of Nandail, Mymensingh. After the ceremony, the family returned to Dhaka on Monday.
Sujan's brother Swapan Mia said that on the night of October 19, Sujan went to Nandail in Mymensingh with his family to attend the wedding of his elder brother Mijan's son. After the wedding ceremony, he left for Dhaka on Monday afternoon. Sujan left Kishoreganj railway station at around 1:15 pm. with his wife, two children, elder brother, and sister-in-law for Dhaka by train.
He said we were on the train. When two coaches of the train suddenly derailed, we were left here and there. Later I got out of the train somehow. But I could not find Sujan and his family. Later elder brother Mizan came and identified the bodies of Sujan, his wife, and two children.
Apart from this, 10 of the 18 people killed in the accident are from Kishoreganj district. They are - Katiyadi upazila Boalia area (next to Dadan Commissioner's house) Md. Golap (23) son of Kashem, Simon Mia (22) son of Chan Mia of Chanpur village of Mithamain upazila, and Russell Mia (26) son of Habibur Rahman of Bhara Golhati village, Hosna Khatun (23), wife of Junaid Hossain of Sakua village (west bank of the river) of Karimganj upazila, Sabuj Chandra Sheel (50), son of Prabodh Chandra Sheel of Ranibazar area of Bhairab upazila, Afzal Hossain (24), son of Abdul Mannan of Radhanagar village of Aganagar union, Rabbi (30) son of Manik Mia of Srinagar village, Nazrul (40) son of Darshan Mia of Amlapara area (permanent address Mahmudabad village of Raipura upazila of Narsingdi district), Humayun Kabir (57) son of deceased Zillur Rahman of Laxmipur Ghatipara village of Gobaria Abdullahpur union of Kuliarchar upazila, Bajitpur upazila. Achib Uddin (34), son of deceased Abdul Hai of Duaigaon village.
The others killed are Nizam Uddin (65), son of deceased Sadar Ali Sarkar of Barichara village of Sarail Upazila, Brahmanbaria District, AKM Jalal Uddin Ahmed (37), son of deceased Abdur Rahman of 78 Narddapara area (Yakub Ali Road, Beside Baytus Sujut Jame Masjid) of Dakshinkhan Police Station, Dhaka. ) and an unidentified male (33).
On Monday afternoon, a container train collided with Egarosindur at Bhairab in Kishoreganj. In this incident, the railway connection between Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, and Noakhali was stopped, but the downline was opened at 10:15 that night.
According to the Ministry of Railways, three people have been dismissed for not complying with the signal. They are Locomaster Jahangir Alam, Assistant Locomaster Atiqur Rahman and Guard Alamgir Hossain.
An eyewitness said that the lockmaster of the freight train tried hard to brake just before hitting the last compartment of the Egarosindu train at the outer crossing. The collision took place about 10 seconds apart.
Two investigation committees including one of the railway department and one of the deputy commissioner have been formed in the incident.
Bhairab Upazila Health Officer Bulbul Ahmed said that in Monday's accident, 75 people were rescued and brought to the Upazila Health Complex. Apart from this, 13 bodies were recovered. Three others died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. The identity of 15 people can be confirmed on Monday night. Another person was identified after noon today. He is Shah Alam (17) of Kishoreganj Bajitpur. The body is kept at Kishoreganj Sadar Hospital Mortuary.
25 thousand takas have been given to each family for burial. Out of the 75 injured, 22 have been shifted to Dhaka Medical and Paralympic Hospital. The rest have been treated and released. An unidentified eight-year-old child is under treatment at Upazila Health Complex.
(The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on October 25 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
