Eid travel: Bogura train derailment disrupts Nilsagar, Ekota schedules, morning departures uncertain

Eid travellers are facing uncertainty as the schedules of some trains are likely to be delayed following a derailment near Santahar Junction in Bogura.

In a statement issued today (18 March), the Ministry of Railways said morning departures of the Nilsagar Express and Ekota Express from Dhaka tomorrow may be delayed.

However, all trains scheduled to leave Dhaka this evening and night have already departed, the ministry said.

"Chilahati Express, Drutajan Express and Kurigram Express will be able to leave Dhaka on time. Panchagarh Express may not arrive if the section is not cleared," reads the statement.

The disruption comes after at least 112 passengers were injured when eight coaches of the Dhaka-bound intercity train Nilsagar Express derailed earlier in the day near Bagbari, close to Santahar Junction in Bogura.

The train, numbered 765 and travelling from Chilahati to Dhaka, went off the tracks with multiple coaches in what witnesses described as a severe accident. Preliminary reports suggest the train may have ignored a signal and entered a maintenance zone.

Following the derailment, train services on the Dhaka-Ishwardi-Dinajpur-Panchagarh route were completely suspended, effectively cutting off northern regions from the capital by rail.

The railways ministry said services would resume normally once the rescue and recovery operations are completed.

However, if the clearance work is not finished in time, the Kurigram Express may be diverted from Santahar through an alternative route to reach Kurigram.

The ministry also warned that Drutajan Express, scheduled to depart Dhaka in the evening, could get stranded on the way if the rescue work remains incomplete.