Bangladesh Railway has formed a five-member inquiry committee after a coach of the Silkcity Express derailed near Shaheed M Mansur Ali station in Sirajganj. The train was travelling from Rajshahi to Dhaka on Tuesday morning when a wheel of its j coach came off at about 11:15am on the Dhaka-Ishwardi route, causing the derailment.

Western Railway’s Pakshi divisional manager Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal will lead the committee, which has been asked to submit its report within seven working days. Western Railway manager Farid Ahmmed confirmed the development. The report said passengers pulled the train’s emergency chain to stop it, helping avert a major accident.

A rescue train arrived from Ishwardi at 2:45pm and began recovery work. The derailed train was removed at about 3:30pm, but rail services had not resumed when the report was filed. Ahmmed said the line must be repaired before operations can restart and could not say when services would resume. Passenger Arifa Khatun said she waited at the station for about five and a half hours.