Arsonists torch 3 buses on Cumilla highway

The blaze caused severe damage to the Tisha Paribahan buses, say police

Arsonists have set three buses ablaze on the Cumilla-Dhaka highway in Cumilla Sadar's Dakshin Upazila amid rising political tensions in the lead-up to the national elections.

The buses were stationed by the highway in front of the Irish Hill Hotel near the Kotbari area when the incident occurred around 3 am on Wednesday.

A group of arsonists riding motorcycles doused the vehicles with petrol and set them alight, according to Alamgir Hossain Bhuiyan, the chief of Sadar Dakshin Model Police Station.

The blaze severely damaged the buses belonging to Tisha Paribahan, he said.

Fire service personnel subsequently put out the flames, but the buses were completely gutted.

Efforts are underway to identify the arsonists and bring them to book, said Alamgir.