Chittagong-Cox's Bazar Train Service Resumes After Five-Day Flood Suspension

Train services on the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar route resumed on Sunday after a five-day suspension caused by heavy rains and waterlogging.

The Parjatan Express left Chittagong Railway Station for Cox's Bazar at 1:30 pm. Earlier, the train arrived in Chittagong from Dhaka at 11:30 am. Following this successful run, railway authorities confirmed that all trains connecting Dhaka, Chittagong, and Cox's Bazar will now operate according to their regular schedules.

"Train service on the Cox's Bazar route was suspended on Tuesday afternoon after floodwaters submerged the tracks," said Md. Farhan Mahmud, Transport Officer for the Railway's Chittagong Division. "Repair work is complete, and services have officially resumed today."

According to Bangladesh Railway, water submerged about 500 meters of track near Shamsher Para, east of Jan Ali Hat Station. Floodwaters rose up to 21 inches, displacing the track's stone ballast, though the main rails remained undamaged. Engineering teams promptly repaired a 300-meter damaged section by raising the tracks up to 1.5 feet and replacing the displaced stones.

The disruption began last Tuesday when continuous rain flooded several city areas, including the tracks near Muradpur Sunnia Madrasa. That day, the Cox's Bazar-bound Tourist Express was stranded at Sholashahar Station for eight hours before being forced back to Chittagong.

In total, severe waterlogging disrupted four trains. Authorities fully canceled the Probal Express and Saikat Express. Meanwhile, the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar sections of the Cox's Bazar Express and Tourist Express were truncated, with the railway arranging alternative transport for stranded passengers.

State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid inspected the flooded tracks last Wednesday to assess the damage. Emphasizing that "passenger safety is the government's top priority," he noted that operating trains through two feet of standing water posed an unacceptable risk of a major accident, necessitating the five-day closure.