Petrol bomb attack on Gazipur train leaves two burnt, two injured

Two persons have suffered burns and two others sustained different injuries after two petrol bombs was hurled at a train in Gazipur during the BNP-sponsored countrywide transport blockade.

The Jamalpur-bound train from Dhaka was attacked around 5:15pm on Monday near the Sreepur Railway Station, Sreepur Police Station OC Mohsin-Ul-Qadir told bdnews24.com.

The victims have been identified as Bhaluka Upazila livestock department's MLSS Afaz Uddin, 50, Sreepur's rice trader Kazim Uddin, 40, day labourer Mofij Uddin, 60, and Mohammad Hossain, 60.

Of them, Hossain and Kazim were burnt in the arson attack, while the two others were hurt when they jumped from the moving train.

Police and locals rescued them after the train reached the station. They were admitted to the Sreepur Upazila Health Complex.

Hossain and Kazim were later sent to Dhaka for better treatment, said the health complex's Upazila Health Officer Md Hasan Imam.

Sreepur Station Master Shahjahan Miah said miscreants had hurled the petrol bombs from the jungle beside the tracks when the train was crossing the Sreepur Forest Office.

He said the train's bogey was not damaged much. It left for Jamalpur after a regular stopover, he added.

The Sreepur police OC said they were yet to arrest anyone.

Blockade supporters have been targeting long-route vehicles and trains since Jan 5, the day the BNP-led 20 Party Alliance started enforcing the blockade.

Railway authorities have already announced awards for citizens helping to nab troublemakers.

Early on Monday, the 'Mymensingh Express' derailed at Chittagong's Mirsarai. Its engine and two carriages went off-track as 120 Pandrol clips used to fasten rails with sleepers of around 126 feet of tracks had been removed.

Five people including the train's driver were injured.

Chittagong's train communication with the rest of Bangladesh, however, was restored in the afternoon after about 11 hours.