6 vehicles set on fire in Dhaka

Opposition supporters set fire to three buses, a CNG-driven auto-rickshaw, a medicine van and a human hauler in Dhaka late on Tuesday during the first day of a 36-hour shutdown called by the BNP-led 18-Party alliance.

The vehicles were set on fire in Sadarghat, Tikatuli, Badda, Nayabazar bridge, Malibagh and Shantinagar.

Shutdown supporters set fire to a bus near Bahadur Shah Park in Sadarghat after a former Jagannath University Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader was detained at 7:10pm, Kotwali Police Station Officer in-Charge Abu Bakar Siddique said.

Earlier at around 6:45pm, an auto-rickshaw was burned near Ilias Market in Tikatuli, he said. “Four youths stopped the CNG posing as customers. Two were conversing with the driver and the other two came up from behind, set fire to it and fled.”

A ‘Bahadur Shah Paribahan’ bus under Nayabazar bridge and a human-hauler on the bridge were torched at around 7:45pm and 9pm respectively, he said. “No one has been detained.”

Meanwhile, three seats of a bus were gutted after opposition activists poured petrol and set fire to the vehicle in Badda, witnesses said. They fled scene immediately.

A black microbus was set on fire near Abul Hotel in Malibagh’s Chowdhury Parha at around 8:30pm, Ramna Police Station Inspector (patrol) Mohammad Shahid said. “Two front seats were gutted.”

An on-duty pharmaceutical van was set ablaze near Shantinagar’s White House Restaurant. The driver, Mizanur Rahman, 35, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital at around 9:45pm with burns, DMCH Police Outpost Inspector Mozammel Haque said.

“His (Mizanur) hands, abdomen and back were burned.”

The 36-hour shutdown was called demanding release of top alliance leaders from jail.