Sylhet-bound train carrying money ‘smuggles in passengers’ from Dhaka

A special train from Dhaka, which was supposed to bring in money for salaries of staffers and for other expenses of the Sylhet Railway Station, allegedly carried passengers violating the "lockdown" order of the district administration.

Abu Bakkar, a photojournalist of the Daily Shymal Sylhet, captured footage of some passengers getting off the train with three carriages at the Sylhet Railway Station.

He later posted the footage on his Facebook account.

The stationmaster, however, denied the allegation and said the people who got off the train were railway employees.

Sylhet Railway Station Master Afsar Uddin told The Daily Star that the train carried only 23 railway employees.

Afzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sylhet Railway Police, said, "All those on board were railway's people and no passengers was carried by the train".

Ershad Miah, assistant commissioner and nejarat deputy collector in Sylhet, however, said there were more than 23 men on the train.

"The railway authorities told us that 23 railways personnel got off the train, but we found 54 in the CCTV footage and there might have been more who reached Sylhet by the train. We are investigating the matter now," he said.

"It may not be possible to trace the unidentified passengers. The railway authority here also denied carrying the passengers illegally. The deputy commissioner of Sylhet will write a letter to the railway ministry to take legal action against the people involved," the official added.

On April 11, the district administration placed Sylhet under lockdown to prevent outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19).