Chattogram Railway Station grounds three trains on security concerns

In the aftermath of the tragic fire incident on the 'Benapole Express' train at Gopibagh in the capital, three trains scheduled to depart from Chattogram Railway Station have been temporarily halted, Station Master Zafar Alam said this evening (6 January).

Zafar said the decision to suspend train movements temporarily was made to ensure the safety and security of passengers in light of the recent incident.

The Dhaka-bound Karnaphuli Express train, originally scheduled to depart at 10:00am, was among the affected trains.

Besides, the Mymensingh-bound Nasirabad Express train, slated for a 3:00pm departure, and the Nazirhat-bound train scheduled for 5:30pm also did not leave the Chattogram station due to heightened security concerns.

These trains will remain grounded even on the upcoming polling day on Sunday, according to Railway officials.

Furthermore, the schedule of the shuttle train heading to Chattogram University has also been put on hold.

The fire incident on the Benapole Express train occurred yesterday (January 5) night in Gopibagh of the capital, killing at least four, including women and children.

Eight more individuals, who sustained burn injuries, are currently receiving treatment in various hospitals, including Dhaka Medical.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, two individuals were apprehended by the railway police while attempting to flee from the Chattogram intercity passenger train Mahanagar Express.

The arrests took place at noon today after the train had crossed Chattogram railway station.

According to the Railway Police, the arrestees said they were attempting to escape because they did not possess tickets for the journey.