Owner faints after seeing his bus in flames in Gazipur during BNP’s hartal

Delwar Hossain Delu, a driver who bought the bus by taking loans, was hospitalised after the incident

The owner of a bus, who also drives the vehicle, fainted after seeing it on fire in Gazipur in a suspected arson attack during the BNP’s 48-hour hartal, or shutdown.

Delwar Hossain Delu was hospitalised after the incident on Sunday afternoon near Shaheed Barkat Sarani pond where he parked the bus early in the morning after a trip.

His cousin Sagar Hossain said Delu sold 0.05 hectares of land and borrowed money to buy the vehicle for Tk 2.8 million. He has to pay Tk 62,000 in monthly instalments. He used to drive the Turag Paribahan bus on Gazipur-Sherpur route

“When he came back in the afternoon, the bus was already on fire, and the miscreants had escaped,” said Sagar.

“He lost consciousness after seeing his only property burn to ashes.”

Locals helped put out the fire in an hour’s attempt, but most of the vehicle was already burnt.

Abu Siddique, chief of Basan Police Station, said legal action will be taken to arrest the arsonists.