At least 23 passengers were killed and around one hundred passengers were injured when a container train hit a passenger train near Bhairab railway station in Kishoreganj district on Monday.
Nazmul Islam, acting general manager (East) of Bangladesh Railway confirmed it over phone.
According to the railway officials, railway authorities came to learn that the passenger train ‘Egarosindhur Express’, arrived at the Bhairab Rail Station from Kishoreganj, and halted there to change direction.
Sirajul Islam, duty officer of Bhairab Railway Police Station claimed that the incident took place around 3:30 pm when a Chattogram-bound container train hit Dhaka-bound Egarosindhur Express.
He said they were now busy with rescue operations with local police and fire service staff.
Senior officials are also on the spot to supervise the rescue operation, he added.
Bhairab Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sadiqur Rahman told journalists that the Egarosindhur Express was Dhaka bound using lane number three after it changed lane at the station.
The container train, which was using lane number two, then hit the passenger train, causing its last two bogies to derail, he said.
He further said the two derailed bogies were carrying at least 200 passengers, and many of them were injured.
Quoting injured passenger Sadek, local journalists said, five minutes after the train left Bhairab, there was a big sound. I can't say anything else, he described. Regaining consciousness, Sadek found himself lying on top of many. He was still inside the compartment. He regained consciousness and somehow climbed down through the window. His friend Naeem also came down with him.
Two came out and saw blood and screams of people.
Sadek hailing from Gabtali village of Boloy Union of Kishoreganj Sadar Upazila described the train accident while lying on the bed of Bhairab Upazila Health Complex of Kishoreganj.
In the accident, his arm was badly fractured and he was hit in the leg too.
Sadek is a student of third year of Mathematics department of Government Titumir College in the capital Dhaka.
He has a scheduled examination on October 31. He was going to Dhaka for attending his examination. His friend Naeem was also accompanying him. Both of them sat in the last compartment of the train.
Sadek said that the train was full of passengers. There were dozens of passengers without seats in their compartment. The compartment was full.
A doctor at the Bhairab Upazila Health Complex said they have received so far three bodies from the accident.
We have also referring critically injured passengers to different hospitals in Dhaka.
