A railway crossing worker, Md. Helal, has been arrested in connection with the tragic bus-train collision in Cumilla that claimed 12 lives. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-11) confirmed the arrest on Tuesday (March 24).
According to RAB’s Legal and Media Wing, Helal is a key suspect in the deadly accident. Further details will be disclosed at a press conference scheduled for Wednesday (March 25) at the RAB Media Centre in Kawran Bazar, Dhaka. The briefing will be conducted by RAB-11 Commanding Officer Lt. Commander Md. Naeem Ul Haque.
The fatal incident occurred in the early hours of March 21 at the Paduar Bazar railway crossing area. A Dhaka-bound mail train from Chattogram collided with a passenger bus named “Mamun Paribahan.” Following the impact, the train dragged the bus for nearly half a kilometer, intensifying the severity of the crash.
Initially, seven bodies were recovered from the scene. However, the death toll later rose to 12. The identities of the victims were not immediately known.
The accident disrupted railway communication between Chattogram and the rest of the country, causing significant delays and suffering for passengers. A relief train from Akhaura was later deployed to assist in rescue operations.
Members of the Fire Service, Bangladesh Army, Police, and RAB jointly carried out the উদ্ধার operation. After hours of effort, the bus was finally removed from the railway track around 8:00 AM, allowing train services to gradually return to normal.
