Fire breaks out in Joyantika Express engine, hundreds stranded

A fire broke out in the engine of the Sylhet-bound intercity Joyantika Express at Shayestaganj Railway Station in Habiganj on Sunday, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded for more than one and a half hours.

Several passengers reportedly suffered minor injuries. Although the fire was brought under control, the train remained stranded after its engine became inoperative, causing severe suffering for passengers, including women, children and elderly people.

The train entered Shayestaganj Railway Station at 5:15pm on Sunday, October 18. Before reaching the station, the driver noticed smoke coming from the engine near the station’s outer signal area and cautiously brought the train to the platform.

Fire service personnel from Shayestaganj rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control. The damaged engine was detached from the passenger coaches as a safety measure, and arrangements were made to bring a replacement engine from Akhaura.

Assistant Station Master of Shayestaganj Railway Station Nazim Uddin said a short circuit was initially suspected to have caused the fire. He said the train was expected to resume its journey to Sylhet after the replacement engine arrived. Train services on other routes were not affected, he added.

Train manager Zahir Uddin said the driver had carefully brought the train to the station after detecting a problem with the engine near the outer signal area. The engine was separated from the coaches to prevent the fire from spreading to the passenger compartments.

Passenger Selim Ahmed expressed frustration over the disruption, saying he was travelling with his wife and young children after purchasing air-conditioned tickets.

He alleged that passengers on the Dhaka-Sylhet railway route frequently faced problems, including malfunctioning air conditioning, engine failures and delays of two to three hours. He called for permanent solutions to the recurring problems.

Passengers also demanded an investigation into the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, along with regular engine maintenance, improved punctuality and better passenger services on the Dhaka-Sylhet route.