1 killed in petrol bomb blast
A man was burnt alive while four others were injured as alleged blockaders hurled petrol bombs at a CNG-run three-wheeler in Ramgati area of Sirajganj Sadar upazila yesterday.
The deceased, Gonesh Das, 42, of Baniapotti village, was a vendor at a Sirajganj market, police said.
The four who suffered burns in the attack were taken to Sirajganj General Hospital. They would be sent to Dhaka for better treatment.
At least 37 people have been killed and around 1,000 injured since January 5, the day the BNP-led 20-party alliance announced an indefinite nationwide blockade. Of the dead, 26 were common people who had no links with politics.
Police and locals said Gonesh was going to Koddar More point from Sirajganj town by the three-wheeler. When the vehicle reached Ramgati, alleged blockaders threw several petrol bombs at it, burning Gonesh alive around 9:00pm, said Habibul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station.
On the 26th day of blockade yesterday, at least eight buses were torched in different districts including Dhaka, Gazipur, Pirojpur, Gaibandha and Jessore.
For the first time since the beginning of the blockade, two power offices in Magura and Kishoreganj came under arson attack yesterday.
Alleged pro-blockaders hurled several petrol bombs inside Magura power office and blasted a cracker near Kishoreganj power office. There were, however, no casualties.
Magura police denied any such incident took place. Sources at Kishoreganj Sadar Police Station confirmed the blast.
In the capital, two crude bombs went off some 50 yards away from the Gulshan Office of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia around 9:30pm. Police, however, could not arrest anyone in this connection.
In another incident, two television journalists received splinters injuries after alleged blockaders hurled crude bombs at the TSC on Dhaka University campus last evening.
Injured Zahed Selim, staff reporter of Maasranga Television, and Syed Moazzem Hossain, a cameraperson of the TV channel, took treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
One of the alleged bomb throwers, Sourid Zaman, a first-year DU student, was caught by people and handed over to police, sources said.
Meanwhile, three people suffered minor injuries yesterday as suspected blockaders hurled petrol bombs at a passenger bus in the Sobhanighat area of Sylhet city.
Alleged blockaders hurled petrol bomb at a cattle-laden truck and vandalised five buses in Jhenidah yesterday. None, however, was hurt.
After the attack, alleged activists of Awami League set fire to the district BNP office in Jhenidah around 7:15pm.
In two more incidents, pro-blockaders torched a plum-laden truck in Chapainawabganj and a passenger bus in Narayanganj. None however was injured.
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