After 21 hours of disruption, rail services between the northern region and the rest of the country have returned to normal, officials and railway sources said.
The disruption was caused when the Chilahati‑bound Nilshagor Express derailed at the Bagbari area of Santahar in Bogura’s Adamdighi upazila on Wednesday (March 18) during peak Eid travel. Nine coaches of the train came off the tracks, blocking the railway line.
On Thursday (March 19) at 11:20 a.m., normal train movement resumed on the affected route when the Khulna‑bound Shimanta Express departed from Chilahati with passengers, marking the return of service between northern Bangladesh and the rest of the country.
Officials said railway engineers and workers began rescue and recovery operations immediately after the incident, with relief trains dispatched from Ishwardi and Parbatipur to clear the derailed coaches and repair the track.
West Zone Chief Engineer Ahmed Hossain Masum said that throughout the night recovery work continued, and the coaches were removed from the tracks and repairs made so trains could safely run. He added that trains will operate at slower speeds through the area while reconstruction continues.
West Zone General Manager Farid Ahmed also confirmed that workers worked overnight to clear the line and make the route operational again.
The derailment occurred around 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, not long after the Nilshagor Express left Santahar Junction for Chilahati during busy Eid travel time.
Following the accident, the Assistant Station Master of Santahar, Shahidul Islam Ranjan, was temporarily suspended and a four‑member investigation committee was formed by railway authorities to determine the cause of the derailment.
