Car, four buses torched on first day of 48-hour blockade

In the latest incidents, arsonists set a parked car ablaze at Nilkhet intersection

Assailants have set a car ablaze in Nilkhet after torching four buses through the first day of the 48-hour blockade called by the BNP.

The private car was set on fire around 10pm on Sunday, according to the fire service.

Fire service control room official Talha Bin Jashim said the car was parked at the Nilkhet intersection when arsonists set it alight.

Later, two units from Palashi Barrack Fire Station doused the flames.

Talha said arsonists also torched a Shikor Paribahan bus around 7pm at Mirpur 11. Two units of firefighters brought the flames under control.

Earlier, arsonists set ablaze a Dhaka University bus while it was returning after dropping off students in Mirpur, but the damage to the vehicle was minimal as the flames were immediately brought under control.

The Chaitali double-decker bus was set alight in front of Mirpur Bangla College around 3pm on Sunday. Some seats of the bus were left burnt during the incident.

Driver Hawlader Muhammad Nizamuddin said: “I was on my way back after dropping off the students. People in front of Bangla College then warned me that the second floor of the bus was on fire. I stopped the bus and tried to douse the flames with the help of some Bangla College students.

“I’ve no idea about who set the fire. No one was on the bus at that time.”

Arifuzzaman Barshan, the president of Chaitali executive committee -- an organisation of students who ride the bus, said: “Nothing major happened as there were no students on the second floor of the bus. But had there been students, things would’ve been different. We will ask the proctor to take steps against this tomorrow [Monday].”

Dhaka University Professor Md Maksudur Rahman Sarker said they had been made aware of the matter. “We are checking who might’ve caused this.”

Assailants also set fire to a Airport Paribahan bus at Bangla Motor intersection around 6:30pm, according to Fire Service media cell official Talha.

A couple of units from the Siddique Bazar fire station later brought the fire under control.

Earlier in the day, a bus was set ablaze near the Meradia Batpatti area in Banasree around 7pm. The driver Md Sabuj received burns before being rescued and sent to Sheikh hasina Institute Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Inspector MA Hasan of Khilgaon police said: “Some assailants set fire to an Asim Paribahan bus. We could not arrest any of the [assailants].

Mentioning that Sabuj’s condition was ‘critical’, doctor Tariqul Islam said: “Sabuj’s throat was damaged and he received 28 percent in his body.”