At least ten passengers sustained minor injuries following a panic-driven stampede when the locomotive of the Sylhet-bound Jayantika Express caught fire at Shaistaganj Railway Junction in Habiganj. The incident occurred at approximately 5:00 pm on Sunday, 18 October 2026, as the intercity service was pulling into the station.
Railway officials reported that the train driver first noticed thick plumes of smoke emanating from the engine while navigating the outer signal area near Shaistaganj. Demonstrating quick judgement, the driver carefully steered the train onto platform number one before bringing it to a complete halt. Flames burst from the locomotive moments later, sending wave of anxiety through the crowded carriages.
Desperate to escape the smoking train, passengers scrambled to disembark onto the platform. The resulting rush led to minor injuries for at least ten travellers, who suffered scrapes and bruises in the commotion. However, train staff acted swiftly to isolate the burning locomotive from the passenger coaches, successfully preventing the fire from spreading to the rest of the train and averting a potentially catastrophic disaster.
Firefighters from the Shaistaganj Fire Service arrived at the station shortly after receiving the emergency call. Their prompt intervention brought the blaze under control before it could cause structural damage beyond the locomotive. Despite their quick work, the internal mechanical systems and electrical wiring of the engine were severely damaged, rendering it completely inoperable.
The emergency halted the Jayantika Express at the junction for nearly four hours, leaving hundreds of stranded passengers—including women, children, and the elderly—to endure uncomfortable conditions in the sweltering heat. Railway authorities arranged for a replacement engine to be dispatched from Akhausha Junction. Following the attachment of the fresh locomotive, the train resumed its journey towards Sylhet at around 9:00 pm.
Nazim Uddin, Assistant Station Master at Shaistaganj Railway Junction, stated that an electrical short circuit inside the locomotive’s system is preliminary suspected to have caused the fire. He added that because the incident occurred alongside a station platform rather than on the main running line, regular rail traffic along the Dhaka-Sylhet corridor experienced no major disruptions. The train’s guard, Johir Uddin, praised the driver’s alertness and prompt decoupling of the engine, noting that their swift actions protected passengers from harm.
