Heavy rain halts Cox's Bazar train services as flooded tracks disrupt operations in Ctg
Around 1,000 passengers aboard the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar Parjatak Express were forced back to Chattogram station after hours of being stranded, while the Chattogram-bound Probal Express also remained halted and two night services were cancelled.
Highlights:
- Parjatak Express returned to Chattogram after 8-hour ordeal
- Probal Express stranded as flooded tracks halt services
- Around 1,000 passengers affected by disruption
- Two Cox's Bazar-bound night trains cancelled
Train services on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar route remained suspended today (7 July) after heavy rain submerged sections of the railway track, leaving around 1,000 passengers stranded for hours aboard the Cox's Bazar-bound Parjatak Express, halting the Chattogram-bound Probal Express and forcing the cancellation of two night trains.
The Parjatak Express became stranded shortly after crossing Sholoshahar Junction at around 12:40pm after floodwaters submerged the railway line.
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By around 8:40pm, the train was taken back to Chattogram Railway Station after remaining stranded for nearly eight hours.
Confirming the matter, Jan Ali Hat Station Master Nizam Uddin told The Business Standard that the decision was taken after the train developed a water shortage, leaving passengers unable to use the toilets.
He added that the Chattogram-bound Probal Express was unable to proceed because of floodwater on the tracks and remained stranded at Jan Ali Hat Station. "Most passengers left the train on their own."
Nizam also said two more trains scheduled to operate on the Cox's Bazar route tonight had been cancelled due to the adverse weather and waterlogged railway tracks.
Earlier, the station Master said train movement had been suspended after floodwater submerged the railway line in the Jamea Ahmadia Sunnia Kamil Madrasah area of Chattogram city.
"There were around 1,000 passengers on the Parjatak Express," he said.
According to the station master, the Probal Express had crossed the same section around 6:30am without any difficulty. However, torrential rainfall later caused water to rise above the tracks, forcing railway authorities to suspend operations. The train, which left Cox's Bazar at around 11:30am, also became stranded at Jan Ali Hat Station.
Farhan Mahmud, transport officer of Bangladesh Railway's Chattogram division, said trees had fallen on the Sholoshahar-Jan Ali Hat, Gomdandi, Dohazari and Faujdarhat sections because of the adverse weather.
"All the fallen trees have been cleared, but trains cannot operate until the water recedes from the tracks. Necessary measures are being taken," he said.
According to railway sources, the Parjatak Express departed Dhaka's Kamalapur Railway Station at around 6:15am and crossed Sholoshahar Junction at 12:35pm before coming to a halt a short distance later. The train had been scheduled to reach Cox's Bazar at 2:40pm. Railway officials said services on the route will resume once the flooded sections are declared safe for operation.
