A major railway accident was narrowly averted in Patiya, Chattogram, on Monday afternoon when the Dhaka-bound Cox’s Bazar Express collided with a pickup truck stuck on the tracks. The force of the impact split the pickup vehicle into two pieces and caused the locomotive engine of the intercity express to derail. Despite the severity of the collision, passengers aboard the train escaped unhurt, whilst the driver of the pickup sustained minor injuries.
The incident occurred on Monday, 21 September, in the Rastarmatha area along the Kamal Munshir Hat-Mollapara road under Kachuai Union in Patiya. According to local residents and railway officials, the intercity train was travelling from Cox’s Bazar towards Dhaka via Chattogram when it encountered the vehicle stranded on an unstaffed level crossing. The train struck the pickup at high speed, dragging the wreckage a considerable distance along the tracks before coming to a halt.
Eyewitnesses reported a deafening crash as the train hit the vehicle, leaving the pickup completely mangled and severed into two halves. Nearby residents rushed to the scene immediately following the impact, helping to rescue the injured driver, who received prompt medical assistance for minor cuts and bruises. Although the derailment of the engine sparked panic among the hundreds of passengers on board, the carriages remained upright, preventing any severe casualties or injuries.
Railway operations along the route were temporarily suspended following the accident as technical teams and recovery vehicles were dispatched to clear the tracks. Engineers worked through the late afternoon to re-rail the locomotive and clear the debris from the line.
Patiya Railway Station Master Abdus Salam confirmed that normal train services resumed later in the evening after safety inspections were completed. Railway police have seized the wrecked pickup van, and authorities are preparing to lodge a formal case to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
