Kalurghat Train Crash: 4 Railway Staff Suspended, Probe Launched

A four-member investigation committee has been formed by the Ministry of Railways following a tragic accident involving the Parjotok Express train on the Kalurghat Bridge in Chattogram. 

In the initial response to the incident, four railway personnel have been temporarily suspended.

The suspended individuals include Sohel Rana, the train guard based at Chattogram headquarters; locomotive master Golam Rasul; assistant locomotive master Amin Ullah; and temporary gatekeeper Mahbub.

The investigation team is being led by the Divisional Transportation Officer (DTO) of the Chattogram division. Other members include the Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Locomotive), the Divisional Engineer-1, and the Divisional Medical Officer from Pahartali, Chattogram. 

The committee has been directed to submit its findings within three working days.

The accident occurred on Thursday night (June 5) around 10:15 PM on the Boalkhali side of the Kalurghat Bridge, when the Cox’s Bazar–bound Parjotok Express train collided with several vehicles. The crash claimed the lives of three individuals, including a two-year-old child.

Eyewitnesses and official sources reported that the accident happened after a vehicle broke down on the bridge, creating a traffic jam. 

Despite standard procedures requiring the train to proceed only after receiving a signal from the lineman, the train reportedly continued onto the bridge without proper clearance. As a result, the train crashed into multiple vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, a microbus, and several motorcycles, crushing them on impact.

An investigation is now underway to determine the exact cause of the breach in protocol and assign accountability for the fatal mishap.