A major railway accident occurred on Monday afternoon in Chattogram’s Patiya upazila, where an intercity train collided with a stationary pickup truck stuck on the tracks. The severe impact caused the train’s engine to derail and completely sheared the pickup truck in half. Despite the terrifying nature of the crash, authorities confirmed that the driver sustained only minor injuries and all passengers on board the train escaped unhurt.
The incident took place during the afternoon as the Cox’s Bazar Express, an intercity service travelling from Cox’s Bazar towards Dhaka, approached the Komolmunsir Hat-Mollapara road crossing area in Patiya’s Kachuai union. According to eyewitness accounts and railway officials, the pickup truck had somehow become immobilised directly on the railway tracks. Unable to brake in time, the oncoming locomotive struck the vehicle at speed, dragging it for a considerable distance along the tracks before coming to a halt. The sheer force of the collision tore the utility vehicle into two separate pieces, leaving the wreckage strewn across the line.
The disruption caused an immediate halt to train services on the busy route, stranding commuters and prompting a swift response from local residents and railway authorities. Railway police rushed to the scene to secure the area, recover the debris, and launch an initial investigation. Patiya railway station master Abdus Salam stated that the police have successfully seized the wreckage of the pickup truck and that preparations to file a formal legal case are currently underway.
Railway engineering teams worked rapidly to clear the obstructed tracks and manage the derailed engine. By Monday evening, rescue operations had progressed sufficiently to declare the line safe, allowing train services to resume normal operations. While the driver of the pickup truck is recovering from minor injuries, transport officials expressed immense relief that no serious casualties or passenger injuries were recorded during the accident.
