Burnt bus passenger dies

One of the 18 passengers, injured in a suspected Opposition-sponsored arson attack on a bus at Shahbagh in capital Dhaka, has died of his burns.

Nahid Morol, 18, of Shibchar in Madaripur, died around 11:15pm Thursday while undergoing treatment, Dr Samanta Lal Sen, the burn unit coordinator at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), told reporters.

The youth had 53 percent of his body burned, the doctor said.

Seventeen other bus passengers, including bank executives, government official, student, lawyer, journalist and a police official, with burn injuries were also being treated at the premier public hospital.

Three of them, Nahid’s cousin ‘Robin’ with 59 percent burn injuries, bus driver Md Mahbub Hossain, 27, and lawyer Khodeja Nasrin, 45, were still in critical condition, doctors said.

The Awami League leaders and activists have blamed the Opposition supporters for killing people by torching vehicles during their general strike and blockade programmes.

But, BNP’s acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement on Thursday night held government ‘agents’ responsible for the arson at Shahbagh.

Nahid’s elder brother Rasel Morol told reporters at DMCH that Nahid was a ninth-grader at the Kutubpur Union High School in Madaripur.

He came to Dhaka with his cousin ‘Robin’ to do some winter shopping, Rasel said.

Police said a Molotov cocktail was hurled at the Mirpur-bound 'Bihanga Paribahan' bus, setting it on fire with commuters inside.

The event took place in front of the Matsya Bhaban around 6:30pm on Thursday during the 71-hour nationwide transport blockade being enforced by the 18-Party alliance.

The bus was on its way to Mirpur when it was set alight, said its passenger Rupali Bank executive ‘Masuma’.

The passengers saw the bus was on fire when it reached the Matsya Bhaban, triggering a frantic effort to get out. The driver did not stop the bus but continued to run it until it had reached Ramna Park's 'Astachal' gate.

Police rushed there and immediately took the injured to DMCH, said Shahbagh Police Station Inspector (Investigation) MA Jalil.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna division Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hossain Sardar had said that initial investigation found that a high-powered Molotov cocktail was hurled at the bus which ignited the fire.

The other injured were identified as First Security Islami Bank exective Shafiqul Islam, 37, government official Jahangir Hossain Mridha, 40, police constable Nurunnabi, 45, Dhaka University political science student Ohidur Rahman Babu, 25, Ekushey TV’s ‘Mukto Khobor’ child journalist Susmita Sen, 17, her mother Gita Sen, 45.

Others injured were the bus driver’s assistant Hafizul Islam, businessman Amzad Hossain, 'Shamim’, ‘Riad’, Abdur Razzak, ‘Rahajul’ and ‘Talha’.

DMCH burns unit doctors said some of the injured had suffered nearly 60 percent burns and those with lesser wounds had 15 percent.

Journalists were not allowed at the special care unit where the injured were being treated.

State Minister of Home Affairs Shamsul Hoque Tuku visited the injured at DMCH in the evening.

He told reporters there stern measures were being taken against the perpetrators.

Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandaker, DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed had accompanied the minister.

Eighteen people have reportedly died during the Opposition-sponsored blockade until Thursday evening from arson attacks, bomb blasts and clashes.

Hundreds of vehicles were set on fire and damaged.

The Opposition had given the call for a blockade on Monday in protest against the schedule of the general election announced by the Election Commission.

It has been pressing for a non-party polls-time government to oversee the parliamentary elections.

A human hauler driver, injured in arson in Dhaka, died in the early hours of Thursday. On the same day, a female bank executive also succumbed to her injuries sustained in a bomb attack.

On Wednesday, nine people were injured in explosions at Chankharpul and another at Tikatuli in Dhaka.