At least six passengers, including a three-year-old child, sustained injuries when unidentified individuals hurled stones at the intercity Silk City Express travelling from Dhaka to Rajshahi on Wednesday evening. The attack occurred just moments before the train was due to arrive at Boral Bridge Station in Pabna, marring what was intended to be a festive Eid journey for holiday-bound passengers.
Eyewitnesses reported that at approximately 7:35 pm on 18 March, as the train neared the station, a stone struck a window of the ‘G’ carriage, shattering the glass and sending shards flying into the compartment. Multiple passengers were hit by the flying fragments, resulting in significant bleeding and widespread panic among travellers.
The injured passengers are as follows:
| Name | Age | Occupation | Injury Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habibul Awal | 26 | Doctor, Keraniganj Upazila Health Complex | Lacerations from glass shards |
| Shafiqul Islam | 45 | Pharmacist | Cuts to arms and face |
| Mostafizur Rahman | 30 | Pharmaceutical company officer | Minor head and hand injuries |
| Kawser Ali | 25 | Not specified | Cuts from shattered glass |
| Ziaur Rahman | 45 | Not specified | Lacerations and bruises |
| Ryan | 3 | Child | Cuts to face and arms |
Dr. Habibul Awal described the scene as chaotic, with passengers improvising to stop the bleeding. “It was alarming that during such a critical moment, there was no immediate assistance from railway authorities,” he said.
Passengers repeatedly attempted to contact railway officials via the call centre at 131 and the hotline printed on their tickets but received no response. Even calls to the national emergency service 999 were redirected back to railway authorities, leaving passengers to manage the crisis themselves.
Victims reported that efforts to alert railway police and train guards through catering staff resulted in only a single officer arriving approximately twenty minutes later. This officer reportedly left without addressing the situation effectively.
When contacted, Mashiar Rahman, the train guard, stated that he had not been informed of the stone-throwing incident and only learned of it after the train reached Rajshahi Station.
This incident has intensified concerns over passenger safety during peak travel periods, particularly when trains traverse rural areas with limited security oversight. Authorities have not yet issued a statement regarding any investigation into the attackers or plans to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The episode underscores the urgent need for improved security measures and rapid response mechanisms to protect travellers, especially during high-traffic holiday seasons.