Rail communication between Sylhet and the rest of the country has been halted for more than 12 hours after five carriages of oil-laden train derailed near Shahpur in Madhabpur, Habiganj.
The accident occurred around 9:45pm Wednesday when the train traveling from Chattogram to Sylhet derailed while crossing Montola Railway Station.
One of the carriages fell into a nearby ditch, while the others toppled beside the tracks. No casualties were reported.
Passengers traveling to Sylhet faced extreme inconvenience due to the suspension of train services, while authorities continued efforts to restore normal communication as quickly as possible.
Montola Railway Station Master Ataur Rahman Khadem said, “A rescue train arrived around 2:30am Thursday, and two of the five derailed carriages have been recovered so far. As of 10:30am Thursday, train services had not yet resumed, and we cannot say exactly how many more hours it will take to restore normal operations.’”
Local residents rushed to the scene after the derailment, and some attempted to collect oil from the toppled wagons. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and other law enforcement agencies intervened to secure the site and prevent further theft.
Lieutenant Colonel Tanzilur Rahman, commanding officer of Habiganj’s 55 BGB Battalion, said, “We recovered nearly 1,000 liters of oil and are coordinating with the fire service and railway authorities to assist in the rescue and recovery operations.”
Shayestaganj Railway Junction Station Master Liton Kumar Chandra Dev confirmed that recovery efforts are ongoing. As of Thursday morning, rail services connecting Sylhet with other parts of the country remain suspended.
