BNP-Jamaat cadres have continued arson terrorism by setting fire to train, polling centres, educational institutions, Buddhist temple, pickup, truck, and covered vans across the country as part of their attempts to foil the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election scheduled for January 7 (today).
A total of 14 fire incidents were reported from 6:00 pm on 5 January to 10:00 am on 6 January (16 hours) across the country, leaving four people dead and burning 6 vehicles and 9 structures, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD).
At least four people, including two children, were killed and several others were injured as the Dhaka-bound Benapole Express was set on fire in the capitals Golapbagh on Friday night.
“We recovered four bodies. Of them, two were children,” said Brig Gen Md Main Uddin, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD).
Witnesses said the fire was first seen on one carriage of the moving train around 8:50pm and soon spread to three other carriages.
Firefighters doused the flames around 10:20 pm using seven fire engines. At around 11:00 pm, firefighters brought out the bodies that were burned beyond recognition.
Railway formed a seven-member committee over the incident. Anwar Hossain, superintendent of Dhaka Railway Police, said, “We suspect that some people boarded the train as passengers and set it on fire.”
This has been the eighth arson attack on trains since November 16. Nine travellers were killed and scores injured in the incidents so far.
On December 19, four people, including a woman and a three-year-old, were killed after arsonists set fire to Mohanganj Express in the capital.
According to FSCD statistics, one train (4 coaches), two pickups, one truck, two covered vans, one Buddhist temple, and eight educational institutions were burnt in the fire incidents.
The statistics show that five in Dhaka Division (Dhaka City 1, Narayanganj 1, Gazipur Sadar 2, Kaliakair 1), two fires broke out in Sylhet division (South Sylhet, Chunarughat), four in Chattogram Division (Ramu 1, Feni 1, Sitakund 1, Chattogram City 1), three in Mymensingh Division (Nandail 1, Gafargaon 1, Sherpur 1).
32 units of Fire Service and Civil Defence and 151 personnel were engaged to douse the fires.
At least 20 schools, which are designated polling centres, reportedly came under arson attacks in 13 districts between Friday night and Saturday.
Fires were reported in Sunamganj, Habiganj, Tangail, Shariatpur, Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barguna, Netrokona, Sherpur, Moulvibazar and Patuakhali districts.
In Netrokona, four schools designated as polling centres came under arson attacks in Kendua upazila earlier Saturday, police officials said.
In Moulvibazar, a polling centre was set on fire at the Sadar upazila on Friday night.
In Patuakhali, miscreants set fire to Sher e Bangla Girls High School, a polling center in Patuakhali Sadar upazila early Saturday.
In Shariatpur, miscreants set fire to a polling centre in Naria upazila early Saturday.
In Habiganj, miscreants set fire to a polling center at Chandona village of Chunarughat upazila in Habiganj district on Friday night.
In Gazipur, two polling centres were set on fire by unidentified arsonists in different parts of the district early Saturday.
In Mymensingh, miscreants set fire to two polling stations in Nandail and Gafargaon upazilas of the district early Saturday.
In Sherpur, a vote centre was set on fire in the sadar upazila’s Bajitkhila Union’s Mirzapur on Saturday.
In Sunamganj, miscreants set fire to the Garakati Government Primary School polling station in the South Bangsaikunda union of Sunamganj's Madhyanagar upazila at around 4am on Saturday.
In Chattogram, miscreants set fire to the Nischinta Para Government Primary School declared as a polling station under Bandar police station on Saturday.
In Barguna, two polling stations were set on fire in Amtali Upazila on Friday night.
A fire was reported at a Buddhist monastery named U Chit San (Rakhine) Ramu Buddhist Temple in Ramu Sadar upazila of Cox’s Bazar early on Saturday.
In Chandpur, a bus helper suffered burn injuries as a fire broke out at a stationary bus on Chandpur-Cumilla highway at Chandpur Bus Station around 5:30 am.
In Sylhet, arsonists set a truck on fire on Sylhet-Dhaka highway at Lalabazar in Dakkhin Surma upazila early Saturday.
Miscreants set the truck on fire beside the Lalabazar Armed Police Battalion office around 1:45 am, said Md Jabed, duty officer of Dakkhin Surma Police Station.
In Chattogram, miscreants set fire to a pick-up van on Dhaka-Chattogram highway at Dhalipara in Sitakunda upazila early Saturday.
The 12th national parliamentary election will be held today, Sunday. Twenty-eight parties are contesting the election.
The Election Commission (EC) has taken all-out preparations to conduct the election in a free, fair and competitive manner with the participation of the voters.
Alongside the police and other law enforcement agencies, members of armed forces have been deployed across the country, to ensure a peaceful election.
