Bangladesh: Passenger and freight trains collide; 17 dead, over 100 injured, toll likely to go up

At least 17 people have been killed and more than 100 have been injured after two trains collided in Bangladesh on Monday (Oct 23). The crash in the eastern city of Bhairab saw a freight train smash into a passenger train travelling in the opposite direction, derailing two passenger carriages. Speaking to the news agency AFP, Sadiqur Rahman, a government administrator in Bhairab said the death toll would rise, withrescuers reporting they could still see bodies crushed and trapped under overturned coaches.

Teams of police and fire service were deployed for rescue operations.

Rahman said that the accident took place at around 4 pm (10 GMT). Citing witnesses, a report by the Dhaka Tribune said that many people were trapped under the train, with most of them lying beneath damaged coaches.

Bhairab's station master told the publication thatRail connectivity from Dhaka to Chittagong, Sylhet and Kishoreganj had been suspended. Areport by The Daily Star said that the country's railway board suspendedthe locomaster, assistant locomaster, and guard of the freight train involved in the collision.

Bangladesh Railway'sDirector General Quamrul Islam told The Daily Star that the board formed two separate committees to investigate the incident.

Train accidents are common in Bangladesh and are often caused by poor signalling, negligence, old tracks or other rundown infrastructure.

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