Passengers of the Kalni Express and Udayan Express endured severe hardship today as both trains were stranded for over an hour in the Satgaon Bazar area of Moulvibazar due to engine failure.
The Kalni Express, which departed Sylhet for Dhaka, came to a halt shortly after crossing Sreemangal station and remained stuck near Satgaon for nearly an hour. At the same time, the Udayan Express, travelling from Chattogram to Sylhet, also ran into trouble, leaving passengers of both trains in distress.
According to railway sources, the Udayan Express was scheduled to reach Sylhet at 6:00am, but failed to do so due to technical problems with its engine. At around 10:30am, the train became stranded in the Rashidpur area, forcing the Dhaka-bound Kalni Express to stop as well.
The situation worsened amid bitter cold weather, causing particular concern for elderly passengers, sick individuals, and children onboard the trains.
Shayestaganj Railway Station Master Liton Chandra Dey said the engine of the Udayan Express had lost power and was unable to climb an elevated stretch of the track. To manage the situation, railway officials decided to swap the engines—the Kalni Express engine was attached to the Udayan Express, while the Udayan’s engine was connected to the Kalni Express.
After completing the engine exchange and necessary procedures, the Kalni Express resumed its journey to Dhaka with a delay of about one hour and fifteen minutes. The Udayan Express then proceeded towards Sylhet.
Angry passengers said being stranded inside trains for a long time in cold weather was extremely distressing. They alleged that frequent mismanagement by the railway authorities continues to cause unnecessary suffering for regular passengers.
