Five vehicles torched, crude bombs go off in overnight unrest across Dhaka

No casualties have been reported in these incidents

Several buses, a truck and a four-wheeled passenger vehicle, locally known as a “Laguna”, have been set on fire in Dhaka’s Merul Badda, Mohammadpur, Savar, Narayanganj, and Dhamrai areas.

Crude hand bombs were also detonated in parts of the capital.

Fire Service Control Room Duty Officer Lima Khanam said the incidents of arson and crude bomb blasts occurred from Sunday night until Monday morning.

No casualties were reported in these incidents, according to authorities.

Lima said a minitruck was set on fire at 6am on Mohammadpur’s Babar Road, a bus around 1:30am outside the Narayanganj District Jail, a Laguna after 10pm in Ekuria, South Keraniganj, and another bus around 10:30pm in Dhamrai’s Dhulivita.

According to police, a bus was torched in Merul Badda near the water tank next to BRAC University. The Fire Service, however, has no information about this incident.

In addition, Banani Police Station chief Russell Sarwar said crude bomb blasts were heard outside the Government Titumir College in Mohakhali and at the Amtoli intersection, adding that while an abandoned bus in that area was set on fire, the fire did not spread further.

The bus had been abandoned on the side of the road for three months, he added.

The Awami League announced a renewed “complete shutdown” programme for Sunday and Monday surrounding the verdict in the crimes against humanity case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two others over attempts to violently suppress the July Uprising that ultimately toppled her regime.

Scattered bomb blasts and vehicle arson attacks have since occurred in Dhaka and other parts of the country.

In response, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali issued a directive for police to shoot anyone attempting to commit arson on vehicles or hurl bombs.