Rail services between Sylhet and other parts of Bangladesh remain suspended since last night following the derailment of a fuel-laden freight train in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj.

The Chattogram-to-Sylhet oil train went off the tracks near Mantala Railway Station around 9:30pm, with at least six bogies plunging into a nearby canal, said Ataur Rahman Gani, station master of Mantala.

The derailment disrupted services on the Dhaka-Sylhet and Chattogram-Sylhet routes, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.

Witnesses reported that a large amount of diesel spilled from the overturned tankers, prompting panic among locals. Some initially attempted to collect the fuel, but law enforcement quickly reached the scene and brought the situation under control, said an eye witness, Mosharraf Mia.

Railway authorities said each tanker was carrying around 16.5 tonnes of diesel, believed to belong to state-run oil companies.

Rescue operations began immediately, with cranes and heavy machinery deployed to recover the derailed bogies. An engineering team from Akhaura Railway is working to repair the damaged track, the authorities said.

Ataur Rahman said efforts were underway to partially restore train movement by this afternoon.

However, officials at Shayestaganj Railway Junction said full restoration could take longer, as recovery of multiple bogies is a complex operation. “It may take more than 12 hours to complete,” a railway official said.

Preliminary assessments suggest that a weak rail line or structural issue with a nearby bridge could have contributed to the accident, though authorities have yet to confirm the exact cause. A formal investigation is expected.

Meanwhile, members of police, army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Fire Service and Civil Defence have secured the spot to prevent further risks.

Lieutenant Colonel Tanzilur Rahman, commander of the BGB's Habiganj 55th Battalion, said that the BGB rescue team collected drums and jars on its own initiative and recovered and stored about 1,000 litres of diesel. As a result of this initiative, it has been possible to prevent wastage of government resources as well as maintain order and security at the accident site, he said.