Passengers of Cox’s Bazar Express and Tourist Express narrowly escaped from the terrible accident. Two trains ran on the same line in Chittagong’s Lohagara area last Friday due to mistake of signal. The loco masters (drivers) skills were caught late. Thousands of passengers and two newly purchased non-stop trains were saved. Chakaria Station Master Azim Uddin has been recalled in this incident.

Saiful Islam, Divisional Manager of Chittagong Railway, told media yesterday that the station masters stopped the train at the last moment after realizing the mistake. It can avoid accidents.

According to railway sources and the line clearance slip of both trains, Cox’s Bazar Express started its journey from Cox’s Bazar to Chittagong at 12:30 PM on Friday. Engine number 3001 (locomotive) was hauling the 22 coach train. The train was allowed to proceed from Chakaria railway station to Lohagara station at 1.22 pm. Another non-stop train Tourist Express departs from Chittagong at 11:40 am. There were 20 coaches in this train. The train was allowed to proceed from Lohagara Railway Station to Harbang Railway Station at 1:20 PM. The two trains were supposed to cross at Lohagara. But as the tourist express was allowed to go to Harbang, the two trains moved on the same line.

Harbang station between Lohagara and Chakaria station. After getting the line clear, Cox’s Bazar Express left Chakaria station at 1:30 p.m. When the driver of this train got suspicious, he contacted the driver of tourist express. That train also left Lohagara station. You can know that two people are driving the train on the same line. If the train moves, there will be a head-on collision. Then the drivers contacted the Chittagong divisional train control room and wanted to know where the crossing would be. It caught the error. Saiful Islam said, then the train Cox’s Bazar Express was stopped at Harbang outer.

Locomasters said drivers were held responsible for accidents. But the mistake was the control room and station master. In some recent accidents, only drivers have been blamed.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 101 km long new railway from Chittagong’s Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar last November. The line still lacks signal posts, kilometer posts. Those in charge of train management are not informed which station is open, at which station the crossing will take place. There is no rest facility for them in these railway stations.