There was a crowd in front of the Bhairab Upazila Health Complex, staring at a digital monitor yesterday.

It was showing pictures of those who died after a freight train smashed into three carriages of a passenger train (Egarosindhur Godhuli), near Bhairab Bazar Junction Railway Station, on Monday afternoon.

Taleb was there too, hoping to find his niece Hira Begum, a 24-year-old garment worker who was on that train.

His wait ended shortly after, as the body of Hira soon came up on the monitor.

However, some of the other relatives were not so "lucky", and were still searching for their loved ones, dead or alive.

At least 18 persons died and scores were injured following the train accident.

Over a hundred people were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor), and Bhairab Upazila Health Complex.

While visiting the Bhairab facility, this correspondent came across Junaid, who lost his wife Hosna Akter in the accident.

"All my dreams have been shattered," he said, adding that they were travelling on the last carriage of the train when tragedy struck.

Shanti Rani Shill, another survivor, lost her husband Sabuj Chandra Shill. She struggled to comprehend the tragedy and frequently lost consciousness at the health complex. The couple were on their way to visit their daughter for Durga Puja.

"My husband was the family's lone earning member. How will we survive without him?" Shanti wailed.

Rasel, 32, from Kishoreganj's Mithamoin, was set to depart for Saudi Arabia, but died in the accident. His family survived, but his dream of a better life abroad was tragically cut short.