Arson, bomb attacks on
Hartal and blockade pickets continued to target public transports and innocent people with petrol and crude bombs yesterday, burning several vehicles and injuring dozens in Dhaka and elsewhere.
At least five people suffered burns as suspected opposition men attacked their vehicles with petrol bombs in Narsingdi and Savar. Three others sustained splinter injuries from a crude bomb attack on their CNG-run auto-rickshaw in the capital's Dhanmondi last evening.
In Narsingdi, three people, including a trucker and his helper, suffered burns as pickets attacked a goods-laden truck with a petrol bomb in Sadar upazila around 8:30pm, reports our correspondent.
The third victim is Jewel Mia, an employee of Pran company, who was on the truck.
In Savar, at least two passengers were burned in a petrol bomb attack on a bus around 9:30pm, our correspondent says.
The victims -- Ismail Hosen, 40, and Hasmot Ali, 27 -- are being treated at Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar, police said.
Police arrested three people on suspicion.
In the capital's Banasree, a bus helper suffered 60 percent burns as alleged blockaders firebombed the bus around 8:00pm. He was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
In Jatrabari, rickshaw puller Jasim Uddin suffered splinter wounds in his leg in crude bomb explosions around 11:30am. He was taking treatment at the DMCH.
Another rickshaw puller, Shafi Alam, was wounded as splinters from a crude bomb hit him in the neck. The incident happened in front of Rokeya Hall of Dhaka University in the evening. He, too, was admitted to the DMCH.
Meanwhile, police shot an alleged arsonist when he was trying to torch a BTRC bus at Jatrabari last night, said Shafiqul Islam, a sub-inspector of Jatrabari Police Station.
Ataur Rahman, 26, hit in the right leg, was taken to the DMCH.
Talking to reporters at the hospital, he denied the police claim, saying some people wrongly suspected him to be an arsonist and handed him over to the police.
He alleged police shot him point-blank, a claim police denied.
In Moulvibazar, at least four passengers suffered minor burns as pickets torched a bus in Borolekha upazila around 8:30am.
“They [attackers] first asked the passengers to get down and then set it afire with petrol,” said Azizul Haque, a local fire service official.
In Chapainawabganj, truck helper Hasan Ali was injured as alleged blockaders hurled a crude bomb on his vehicle at Sadar municipality around 1:30am, police said.
In Chittagong, another truck helper was wounded as pickets threw a crude bomb on his truck, also around 1:30am. Ferdous Mahmud, 30, was admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, police said.
Police recovered six crude bombs from a room of Suhrawardy Hall of Chittagong University.
In Feni, the village home of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo was attacked on Wednesday night. No one was in the house at the time.
A group of 20-25 masked men hurled several crude bombs at the house around 11:00pm, said Mintoo's brother Akbar Hossain, quoting neighbours.
The attackers also set fire to the house of Mintoo's uncle, leaving it partially burnt.
This house too was empty, and no one was hurt in the incident.
Akbar, president of Dagonbhuiyan upazila BNP, held Awami League and Chhatra League men responsible for the attacks, a claim the local AL denied.
Police said they heard about the incident, but declined to elaborate.
In Mymensingh, two BNP activists were injured as police opened fire on them while they were allegedly planning an arson attack in Sadar upazila.
The injured are Sharif Ahmed, 28, and Mehedi Hasan, 30, of the town's Jamtola area.
Abu Mohammad Fazlul Karim, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said they raided the area on information of a possible attack around 3:30am.
Sensing their presence, the miscreants hurled several cocktails at them. In retaliation, the cops opened fire leaving the two injured.
They were under treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.
Police said they recovered two petrol bombs and a cocktail from the spot.
Comments