Nor’wester storm disrupts train services in Noakhali

Train services on Dhaka–Noakhali route were disrupted early today as a Nor’wester swept through Noakhali, uprooting trees and snapping branches onto the tracks.

Fakhrul Islam Noman, the Station Master of Chowmuhani Railway Station, confirmed the details to The Daily Star this morning.

According to the train driver Rafiqul Islam, the Dhaka-bound Upokul Express left Noakhali's Sonapur station at its scheduled time of 6:00am but moved at a snail’s pace and was forced to halt for a prolonged period at Maijdee Court Station.

The train was two and a half hours behind schedule, causing immense suffering to the hundreds of passengers, said the Chowmuhani Railway Station Master, Fakhrul Islam Noman, adding that, by 11:00am, the train had reached Cumilla.

"Due to trees blocking the tracks, I am forced to drive much slower than the usual speed. We will not be able to reach the destination according to the official schedule," said Rafiqul Islam, the train driver.

Md Rafiqul Islam, the officer-in-charge of the Noakhali Meteorological Department, told The Daily Star that the storm hit Maijdee town after 1:00am with wind speeds ranging from 40-60 km/h.

Noakhali recorded 30mm rainfall from 1:00am to 3:00am, he said.

Passengers Md Shahjahan and Zakir Hossain said they had boarded the Upokul Express to travel to Dhaka. Although the train was scheduled to depart at 6:00am, it was delayed significantly. Even after starting, the train moved at a snail's pace as crews cleared debris from the tracks.

The train was forced to halt at Maijdee Court Station for a prolonged period. Once the tracks were partially cleared, it finally proceeded toward Chowmuhani, they added.

Because of the unexpected delay, many passengers abandoned the train and opted for alternative transport to reach their destinations.

Asaduzzaman, the station master of Noakhali Railway Station, informed the media that railway staff and fire service personnel worked from early morning to remove the fallen trees.

The Upokul Express is the only intercity train operating between Noakhali and Dhaka. It departs Sonapur (Noakhali) at 6:00am and reaches Kamalapur station (Dhaka) at 12:00pm. It departs Dhaka at 3:00pm and arrives back in Noakhali by 9:00pm.