Train set ablaze in Jamalpur before BNP’s 48-hour hartal begins

At least ten people were injured in the arson attack on Jamuna Express

A Jamuna Express train was set ablaze in Jamalpur’s Sarishabari Train Station on the night before the 24-hour nationwide hartal called by the BNP began.

As many as three train cars were burnt while ten people were injured when jumping off the train in a bid to save themselves in the arson attack that occurred at 1:20 am on Sunday.

The Tarakandi-bound train coming from Dhaka had just left the Sarishabari Station when it was ignited, said Sub-Inspector Md Nazir of the Jamalpur Rail Police.

“The train was immediately stopped but the fire had already spread to three train cars. Firefighters from the Sarishabari Fire Service reached the scene and doused the fire around 4 am.”

Panic gripped the passengers on board after watching the fire spread and ten of them were injured when they jumped off the train. Four of the injured were admitted to the Sarishabari Upazila Health Complex, said SI Nazir.

After they showed the ‘line clear signal,’ they heard passengers screaming and found the train cars Ka, Ga, and another one burning, said Abdus Salam, assistant station master of the Sarishabari Railway Station.

The BNP called a 48-hour nationwide strike on Sunday as part of their protest to the announcement of the schedule for the 12th general election.

Arson attacks on vehicles have been rampant after the BNP, its long-time ally Jamaat-e-Islami, and other like-minded parties called for strikes and blockades. This was the second arson attack on a train.