Arson attack on train; 5 vehicles torched

Sporadic violence marked the first day of the BNP-led alliance's 72-hour fresh shutdown yesterday as hartal pickets set afire two coaches of a train in Narayanganj, torched buses and exploded crude bombs in the capital and elsewhere.

Two compartments of a local train were set alight at Narayanganj central railway station around 11:00pm.

No one was injured as all passengers had already got down from the train, Manjur Quader, officer-in-charge of Narayanganj Sadar Police Station, told The Daily Star last night.

Five fire-fighting units brought the blaze under control in a short time, said fire service officials.

The BNP-led combine enforces the latest spell of shutdown on top of the non-stop nationwide blockade that enters its 42nd day today.

In Sylhet city, an SSC examinee suffered minor injuries as police fired a rubber bullet at hartal pickets in Jatpur area in the afternoon.

AKM Sazzadul Alam, officer-in-charge of Sylhet Kotwali Police Station, said police chased around 20 hartal supporters after they vandalised several vehicles in Mirabazar area.

Police fired a rubber bullet to disperse them. Accidentally, Shormi Deb, daughter of Binod Bihari Deb in the area, was hit by a pellet of the rubber bullet, he said.

“Her injuries were very minor. She returned home after receiving first aid,” said the OC.

In Chittagong, Border Guard Bangladesh personnel found 12 petrol bombs abandoned beside railway lines in Dewanhaat area, a kilometre away from the Chittagong Railway Station, last night.

Dhaka mail train and Turna-Nishitha were asked not to leave the station after the BGB was tipped off about a possible arson attack, Maj Tanveer Mahmud, second-in-command of 28th BGB Battalion, told The Daily Star.

A BGB team conducted a drive in the area around 9:30pm and recovered the petrol bombs beside the tracks under the Dewanhaat bridge about an hour later.

The mail train left the Chittagong station at 11:30pm, an hour after the scheduled time.

Meantime, a truck helper suffered burns as alleged blockaders hurled a petrol bomb at his husk-laden vehicle on old Dhaka­Chittagong highway at Baroyarhat of Mirsarai upazila early yesterday.

With 12 percent burns, Nazrul Islam of Fatikchhari upazila was admitted to the burn unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said Nayek Jahangir Alam of CMCH Police Camp.

In Feni, a passenger suffered 60 percent burns, while two covered-van drivers were hit by splinters as alleged blockaders threw petrol and crude bombs at their vehicles on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Madhabpur area around 9:00pm, said police.

Passenger Mohammad Hossain Mia, and drivers Halim and Hridoy Biswas were whisked off to Feni Sadar Hospital. They were later sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Mahbub Morshed, officer-in-charge of Feni Model Police Station.

In the capital, detectives arrested four Jamaat-e-Islami activists, including Airport Thana Unit Jamaat Ameer Enamul Haque, with eight petrol bombs in Dakkhin Khan area.

Shaikh Nazmul Alam, deputy commissioner of DB (north) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed it.

Police picked up Rajjab Ali, former central leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, in Kotwali area in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, alleged blockaders torched a bus of Suprobhat Paribahan at Tanti Bazar intersection around 4:00pm. There was no report of any casualty. 

Pro-hartal pickets exploded two crude bombs behind the Gonojagoron Mancha stage near the National Museum at Shahbagh around 6:30pm, said police.

Law enforcers arrested Jubo Dal activist Mohiuddin while he was allegedly making bombs at a house on Garden Road at Paschim Karwan Bazar around 12:30pm.

Two petrol and four crude bombs, and bomb-making materials were found in his possession, said Mazharul Islam, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon Police Station.

During primary interrogation, Mohiuddin said he made bombs on instructions from a Sher-e-Bangla Nagar unit BNP leader, who assured him of a job once the BNP came to power, said the OC.

A youth, Kabir Hossain, was hit by splinters, as a crude bomb he was allegedly carrying in a carton exploded in Khilgaon Railgate area.

Kabir, now receiving treatment at the DMCH, claimed he was unaware that a crude bomb was inside the box.

In Sylhet city, a policeman and a human-hauler driver were injured in an attack allegedly by Chhatra Shibir activists.

A group of stick-wielding Shibir men attacked two human haulers as the vehicles carrying law enforcers reached Sheikhghat around 7:00am, said witnesses.

A constable of Sylhet Kotwali Police Station and one of the drivers were injured as the windshields of the vehicles were smashed in the attack.

The Shibir men managed to escape. Police were yet to arrest anyone.

In Bogra, a Shibir man was hurt in a clash between Jamaat-Shibir men and police in Kathaltola area of Sherpur upazila around 9:00am.

Police arrested three Shibir men, including injured Rana Ahmed, from the spot.

Meanwhile, police recovered 10 petrol bombs, Zihadi books and explosive substances from the office of Shibir's Sherpur upazila unit. They arrested a Shibir man.

Law enforcers also arrested 35 people for their alleged links with violence in the district.