6 killed as covered van rams train

At least six people, including a woman, were killed and scores injured when a speedy covered van hit the locomotive of a running train before ramming a carriage in the capital’s Kamalapur railway station on Monday. Two people died on the spot and four others in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Kamalapur railway police officer-in-charge Abdul Majid. Ten others were admitted to the hospital in critical condition. All the deceased and most of the injured were in the carriage which was badly damaged in the accident, said the police. Four of the deceased were identified as Mojibur Rahman, 55, a bamboo trader, Naimul Islam, 16, a madrassah student from Bakerganj in Barisal, Md Alamgir Hossain, 40, pick-up driver, and Ismail Hossain, 35, a quilt trader.

The 10 people undergoing treatment at DMCH are – Mizanur Rahman, an Ansar member working at the railway station, Babul, a driver, Mostafa Prodhan, Nasir, Belal, Kalam, Jinnah, Harun, Md Zabed and Sumon. Railway minister Mazibul Hoque visited the injured in the hospital on Monday evening and donated Tk 20,000 each to five of them, but the rest five did get the money as they were undergoing operation during the minister’s visit. Witnesses and injured train passengers said that the accident took place around 12:45pm when a covered van of NS Cargo Company coming from the inland container depot, hit the train, 219-Narayanganj Local, which was entering the station. Two train passengers died on the spot. ICD labourer Md Aslam said that both the train and the covered van were at high speed. The injured Ansar man, Mizanur, said he had signalled to the covered van to stop as the train was approaching the crossing, but the van ignored the signal and tried to cross the track at high speed causing the accident. The van eventually hit the train’s locomotive before crashing on to the carriage coupled to the engine, said locals. The next carriage derailed by the impact of the crash.

Sixteen-year-old Naim and an unidentified train passenger died on the spot, said fire service director (operation) AKM Shakil Newaz. Zakir Hossain, a passenger of the train, said that there were over 80 people in the carriage next to the locomotive. The minister admitted that there was no level crossing inside the railway station and the situation remained the same for years. The railway authorities formed a three-member committee, headed by divisional transportation officer Nazmul Islam, to investigate the accident. The committee was asked to submit a report in three days. Nazmul told New Age that the covered van driver remained missing. ‘We have heard that a helper was driving the van. We are investigating the matter and looking for the van owner.’ He said that covered vans or cargo vehicles were not supposed to use the road. Railway authorities have filed a case against the driver with Kamalapur police station. Train service between Dhaka and Narayanganj remained suspended for several hours after the deadly accident.

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