Dhaka train accident caught on tape...

Train ploughs into bus at Moghbazar rail line

Wed, Jun 17th, 2009 10:43 pm BdST

Dhaka, June 17 (bdnews24.com) – At least one person was seriously injured as a train ploughed into a minibus at Moghbazar rail crossing, one of the capital's busiest intersections, on Wednesday.

The Jamuna Express from Kamlapur Station crashed into the bus as it was stuck on the rail track at the tail end of a rush-hour traffic jam at around 4.50pm.

The train, without having time to slow down, rammed into the minibus, which was thrown off the rail line and in turn smashed into four nearby cars, almost flattening them.

TV footage, caught by a passing news cameraman, depicted the shocking collision in detail.

The passengers of the bus had all disembarked when the crash occurred said witnesses.

The injured woman, Shahida Akhtar, 30, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, sub-inspector railway police Syed Abul Miah told bdnews24.com.

"The barricade had not come down on the rail crossing when the minibus drove onto the line," Jasim, one of the bus passengers, told bdnews24.com after the crash.

Local metal shop worker Shahidul said several cars passengers were injured in the pile-up.

A car driver claimed one of his passengers had been seriously injured, as she could not get out of the car in time, and later died in hospital.

However, police reported no casualties in the incident.

The accident forced traffic to a standstill for almost an hour on the Moghbazar-Satrastha Road.

The traffic gridlock also spread to other adjacent roads.

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