UNB:: Three buses were set on fire and several filling stations were vandalised in Jhenaidah district town over the killing of an activist of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement following a dispute over fuel purchase.
Tanvir Hasan, station officer of Jhenaidah Fire Service and Civil Defence, said miscreants set fire to three vehicles parked at the central bus terminal around 3:30am.
On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze with the help of local people.
The incident occurred hours after Anti-Discrimination Student Movement activist Nirab was beaten to death allegedly by some people following a brawl over purchasing fuel at Taj Filling Station on Saturday night.
A group of miscreants stormed Srijoni Filling Station at Arappur area of the district and carried out vandalism at the dead of night.
Earlier on Sunday, the miscreants also carried out attack on the house of the owner of Srijoni Filling Station Harun-Or-Rashid.
Protesting the attacks, the transport workers blocked roads on Sunday morning, halting vehicular movement.
However, vehicular movement came to normal following the assurance from the district administration and police.
Alamin Sheikh, cashier of Srijoni Filling Station, said a group of 20–30 unidentified people suddenly attacked the filling station around midnight and vandalised its machines despite police presence.
Abul Kashem, father of Nirab, filed a murder case with Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station on Sunday afternoon against four people.
Police arrested three suspects—Nasim, son of Nasir Uddin of Baroikhali village, Ramizul, son of Yunus Ali of Aruakandi village and Abu Dawud, son of Sofiar Rahman of Kast Sagara village—in connection with the incident.
Shamsul Arefin, Officer-in-charge of Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station said Nirab, son of Alimur Rahman of Badurgacha village in Kaliganj upazila, was beaten to death around 10pm on Saturday following an altercation with employees at Taj Filling Station over purchasing fuel.
Meanwhile, Mir Rakib, chief organiser of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Jhenaidah, said a peaceful protest would be held after Nirab’s funeral prayers on Sunday afternoon and claimed that none of their activists were involved in the incidents of arson and vandalism.
