The leaders' role while train burns

BNP leaders were engaged in a loud anti-government tirade at their Sirajganj rally on Monday while passenger train Drutajan Express was in flames hardly 150 yards away.
They made no efforts to protect state property from the blaze.
And BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was reportedly taking rest some 10 kilometres away from the rally venue while her party supporters went unruly.
All the 11 compartments of the Dhaka-bound inter-city train were set alight by a mob soon after it ran through a crowd spilling onto the rail track from the very rally killing six.
Many of the passengers alleged the mob had looted their luggage and other valuables.
No leaders had asked the agitated supporters to refrain from damaging the state property and looting the passengers belongings.
The party men looked nonchalant even though one of the bodies was lying only 35-40 yards off the rally dais.
The main opposition party however took no time claim that the victims were its supporters.
Khaleda reached Jamuna Resort around 2:00pm on Monday and was resting there while the train came under attack around 3:10pm.
Party sources said the BNP chief was contacted soon after the train disaster but she gave no directive in this regard.
The leader of the opposition in parliament arrived at the rally venue around 4:00pm. The train was burnt by that time.
In her 40-minute speech, the former prime minister accused the government of killing BNP supporters but kept mum as to who torched the train and looted the valuables of passengers.
She neither the damaged train nor those injured in the accident and admitted to different health centres in Sirajganj.
A BNP leader however said the party chief couldn't do so as was rushing to Natore.
The mob also damaged some highway buses throwing stones and brickbats.
But private cars of BNP leaders and buses that brought party supporters to the rally, and cars of the chairperson's motorcade remained untouched.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal organised the rally to mark the Shaheed Jihad Day.
But the party made no arrangement to ensure safety of the rally participants.
Asked, district BNP President Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, also an adviser to the party chairperson, said, “How could our volunteers control a meeting that had turned into a human sea?”
The role of the civil administration, Bangabandhu Bridge authority and railway authorities was also questionable as all of them later claimed they didn't give permission to hold the rally on the rail line or in nearby areas.
But they kept mum when asked why they didn't bar holding a rally without permission.
Mosharraf Hossain, Sirajganj superintendent of police, however said he warned the district BNP general secretary about the dangers the rally venue might cause, but didn't prevent the former premier's rally considering its possible political impact.
Contacted, General Secretary Mokaddes Ali said police had started arranging security for the rally at least three days ago.
No opposition leader replied when asked why they did not keep the rail track free for movement of trains.