Floods snap rail link in north

Rail communications of most of the northern districts with rest of the country and within themselves remained snapped for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday amid severe flooding, leaving people of the region to suffer immensely.
The flood water, coming from upstream India and Nepal which have been witnessing flooding, has come very near the rail tracks in some other northern and mid-region districts, threatening with total collapse of rail communications in the region. 
According to the Bangladesh Railway, currently there is no rail communications among Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram under Rangpur division and with rest of the country. 
Flood water level is also increasing in Natore, Gaibandha and Bogra under Rajshahi division and Rajbari district under Dhaka division, they have said.
The situation is more threatening than the 1998’s flood situation as water level and damage to rail tracks is higher this time, they have observed. 
Earlier on Saturday, rail communication in Panchagarh-Thakurgaon section was suspended as the track went under water. 
BR divisional traffic superintendent (Lalmonirhat) Abdullah Al Mamun said train movement on Parbatipur-Burimari route remained snapped since Sunday. 
Schedules of local Kanchan Express, a shuttle train, and a DEMU train on Parbatipur-Panchagarh section were suspended, he said. 
Dhaka divisional transportation officer Mahbubur
Rahman said since Sunday the Dhaka-Dinajpur intercity Ekota Express could not reach Dinajpur for flood water and remained stuck at Parbatipur station. 
He confirmed that Rangpur Express on Dhaka-Rangpur route was running. 
Abdullah Al Mamun said that though the Rangpur Express was still operating, the service of a shuttle train on 25-kilometre Kaunia-Rangpur section to carry passengers from Kurigram to Rangpur, remained suspended since Sunday following collapse of a railway bridge. 
‘The current of water is still strong and we are unable to say when the rail communications will resume,’ he said. 
New Age correspondent in Kurigram reported that about 40 feet rail line near Boro Bridge in Tograihat area under Sadar upazila curved as a girder had collapsed on Sunday because of heavy current of water.
Railway’s general manager (west zone) Khairul Alam said that the water level was rising at some places in Natore, Gaibandha (Bonarpara), Bogra, Rajshahi (Chalan Beel area) and Rajbari (Goalanda).
‘If water level continues to rise, rail communications will be affected in these areas also,’ he said. 
The official claimed that the situation like this was seen last in 1998. 
A senior official of BR’s west zone said this time the damage was much higher as water level was higher than that of 1998 flood and at some places rail tracks were just hanging as the soil under them was washed away. 
‘At some places soil under about half a kilometre track was washed away and it will take longer time to repair these sections,’ the officer added. 
New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported that rail communications of the district remained suspended for the third consecutive day.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net