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Train Accident

Upaban driver, stationmaster blamed

Staff Correspondent
The collision between two passenger trains at Ashuganj early yesterday took place due to violation of signal by the Sylhet-bound Upaban Express drivers and negligence on part of Ashuganj stationmaster, a top railway official said.
The accident killed eight people and injured about 100 others. Besides, the Bangladesh Railway incurred a loss of over Tk 2 crore as five compartments of the two trains and the engine of the Upaban Express were damaged and the Ashuganj terminal smashed. Director General of Bangladesh Railway (BR) Mohammad Belayet Hossain told The Daily Star, "lUv drivers of the Upaban Express and the stationmaster of Ashuganj station are responsible for the accident."
"We’ve suspended three staffers in this connection and formed a four-member committee to investigate the incident ... the committee would find out whether there are any othercausesbehind it"
The probe committee has been asked to submit its report within two or three days, he said.
Ln reply to a question, the railway DG said, "If the killed and injured were ticket passengers, we may consider compensating them."
The suspended staffers are Upaban Express driver (locomaster) Kabir Hossain, assistant driver (loeomaster) Saidul Islam and Ashuganj stationmaster Humayun Kabir.
The stationmaster and his assis-tanthad green-signalled the Upaban Express before the Noakhali Express could pull out of the station.
Besides, when the Upaban Express was about one kilometre off the Ashuganj station, the auto-signal on the railway track signalled red, but the driver speeded on, ignoringit.
Hearing the whistle of the oncom -ing Upaban Express, the drivers of the Noakhali Express tried to pull out as both the trains were on the same track. But it was too late. Upaban hit it from behind.
All the staffers of Ashuganj station fled away following the accident, police said.
Meantime, railway communication on Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet routes resumed at about 11:30am yesterday, about 11 hours into the accident
BR sources said at least 13 passenger trams and seven other trains were suspended due to the accident, causing sufferings to several thousandpeople.
Soon after the accident, two relief trains rushed to the scene from Dhaka and Akhaura at around 2:15am yesterday to clear the track. Police from Ashuganj and Bhairab police stations and locals also lent their hands in the rescue operation.
Among the killed, three were identified as Tajul Islam, 50, a guard of Noakhali Express, Abdul Mannan, 30, an employee of Ghorashal Jute Mills, and Mohammad Hossain, 40, ofBrahmanbaria.
Communications Secretary Dr Muhammad Mahabubur Rahman and senior railways officials visited the scene.