Cop killed in arson attack on bus

A policeman was killed and another burned as arsonists set fire to a police bus at Bangla Motor in the capital last night.
Driver of the requisitioned bus, a civilian, also suffered burn in the attack around 11:20pm, hours after the opposition alliance's 83-hour blockade ended.   
The dead is Ferdous, a traffic constable. The injured are Faizul Islam, also a constable, and driver Bayzid.
Meanwhile, two people burned earlier in arson attacks died early hours today at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The victims are truck driver Nazrul Islam, who was burned when his vehicle was set afire in Gazipur on Monday, and truck helper Mazidul, who suffered burns when his vehicle was set ablaze in Sirajganj on Saturday.      
Constable Faizul told The Daily Star they were on duty at Bangla Motor until 11:00pm yesterday and were about to leave the place. As soon as they got on the bus, there was a huge bang and the vehicle was ablaze.
He managed to get down as he was near the door but Ferdous could not since he was inside and was burned alive, Faizul added.  
The driver jumped out through the window.      
Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed visited the victims at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The police chief said the policeman lost his life while he was serving the country and the people.
He said criminals were targeting his force as part of their attack on the state machinery.

Meanwhile two truckers were badly burned after blockaders set fire to a cattle-carrying truck at Sitakunda in Chittagong yesterday.
Also, seven cows were burnt alive and 15 shops were gutted as the truck ploughed through a roadside furniture market after losing control.
Saiful Islam, the helper of the truck, suffered 41 percent burns while Abu Mia, the driver, 10 percent burns. They were brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital burn unit where doctors said Saiful's condition was critical.
Sporadic violence also took place at other places during the fifth spell of the countrywide blockade that saw vehicles vandalised and torched and dozens of people injured in running battles between activists of the opposition, Awami League and police.
In Kurigram's Roumari, at least 15 people were wounded in a clash between blockaders and AL men.
Police and witnesses said the ruling party men were going to Datbhanga on motorbikes for electioneering. As they reached Baharti intersection, blockaders swooped on them.
Blockaders also assaulted ruling Awami League lawmaker Zakir Hossain, when he arrived at the scene on hearing the news.
"I thought the situation would calm down if I went there. But they even attacked me and injured me," said Zakir Hossain.  
Police picked up Abdur Razzak, organising secretary of Roumari upazila BNP, from the spot.
Protesting the arrest, the blockaders vandalised four motorbikes and a truck.
Later, activists of the AL and its associate bodies brought out a procession protesting the assault on Zakir Hossain. At one stage, the AL men attacked the house of Swechchhasebak Dal leader Abul Hashem, prompting a clash that injured the 15.
In the capital, miscreants exploded two crude bombs at the entrance to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court around 10:45am, leaving two people injured.
One of the injured is Harunur Rashid, a college teacher, said Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station. The other victim could not be immediately identified.
Miscreants also blasted three crude bombs before the Dhaka deputy commissioner's office around 12:30pm, but no one was hurt in the incident. Police picked up one person on suspicion from the area, said the OC.
The arson attack in Chittagong happened at Fauzdarhat Bazar on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway around 5:30am.
Quoting witnesses, Md Jasimuddin, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said about 10 blockaders set alight the Chittagong-bound truck by pouring petrol.
The truck carrying 26 cattle lost control and then ploughed through the furniture market, he said.
Five furniture shops, five showrooms and five storehouses were also burnt to ashes in the incident, said Jasimuddin.
Six firefighting units from Kumira, Bandar and Agrabad fire stations rushed to the spot and doused the flames around 10:00am, said Omar Faruk of Kumira Police Station.
In Natore, blockaders vandalised 10 goods-laden trucks on the Dhaka-Natore highway in Sadar upazila despite police protection.
The opposition men made the attack when about 20-25 Rajshahi-bound trucks were crossing Harishpur bypass in Sadar upazila around 12:30am under police escort, said Tariqul Islam, assistant superintendent of police in Natore.
Law enforcers fired six rubber bullets to disperse the blockaders, who responded by throwing brick chips.
Blockaders also set fire to rail tracks at Natore Railway Station yesterday morning.
In Comilla, a clash between activists of Jamaat-Shibir and BNP and police left at least 13 people, including five policemen, wounded at Poura Bazar in Nangolkot upazila. Several opposition men suffered bullet injuries.
The one-hour clash ensued when police resisted a procession of BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men around 10:30am. Police fired at least 15 rubber bullets to disperse the activists, who hurled brick chips at them, said Swapan Kumer Nath, officer-in-charge of Nangolkot Police Station.
In Thakurgaon, BNP-Jamaat activists torched a motorbike and vandalised four trucks and a minibus from a procession in the town, said police.
They also threw brick chips and broke glass panes of two clinics opposite the Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital. Police charged batons on the unruly activists and arrested four people.
In Dinajpur, opposition activists obstructed Shibli Sadiq, an AL nominated candidate of Dinajpur-6, and tore his posters and leaflets while he was conducting a door-to-door campaign in Nawabganj upazila around 12:30pm.
Obstructed, the candidate stopped his campaign and left the place.
In Jhenidah, Jamaat-Shibir men torched two trucks at Moheshpur upazila around 10:00am.
On Monday night, miscreants vandalised an election camp of Abdul Hyee, an AL candidate from Shailkupa upazila, and torched furniture there.
Law enforcers arrested 42 BNP-Jamaat men in Sirajganj and four in Sitakunda in Chittagong over violence.