Train derails after miscreants remove railway track in Gafargaon

Bangla Press Desk:   A Dhaka-bound intercity train derailed in the early hours of Monday after miscreants removed a section of railway track in Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh, disrupting rail communication on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route.

The incident occurred at around 4:30am on Monday in the Saltia Mathkhola area, approximately two kilometres north of Gafargaon Railway Station. The engine and two front coaches of the intercity Agnibina Express, which was travelling from Tarakandi to Dhaka, derailed after hitting the damaged section of track.

Railway and local sources said a stretch of about 21 feet of rail line had been dismantled during the night. As the train reached the spot, it lost alignment, causing panic among passengers. No casualties were reported.

Following the incident, the remaining coaches were detached and later moved to Aulianagar Station with the help of an alternative relief engine brought from Mymensingh. Train operations on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route were temporarily suspended.

According to local sources, protesters have been carrying out rail blockades, demonstrations and acts of arson in Gafargaon as part of ongoing agitation demanding the cancellation of BNP nominations. The removal of the rail line is suspected to be linked to the unrest.

Confirming the incident, Gafargaon Railway’s Sub-Assistant Engineer (Permanent Way) Mostafizur Rahman said a similar attempt had been made at the same location on Sunday (28 December), when the line was repaired using nuts and bolts to restore train movement.

“On Monday night, unknown individuals once again removed around 21 feet of the track from the same spot, which led to the derailment of the Agnibina Express engine and two coaches,” he said.

He added that a major disaster was avoided as the train was moving at a reduced speed due to heavy fog. “Had the speed been higher, there could have been loss of lives,” he warned.

Two rescue trains were dispatched from Dhaka and Mymensingh to recover the derailed engine and coaches. Railway authorities said normal train operations on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route would resume once the recovery and repair work is completed.

BP/SP