48-Hr Blockade: Arsonists torch 11 vehicles
Over 360 more BNP members detained, claims Rizvi
At least 11 vehicles were set on fire in arson attacks across the country, as BNP and its allies enforced the 10th round of blockades yesterday.
The number of vehicles on highways yesterday was higher than during the previous blockades.
Visiting Mirpur-10, Bijoy Sarani, Bangla Motor, Nayapaltan, Sayedabad, Motijheel and some other areas in the capital, this correspondent saw buses and other public transport stuck in long tailbacks.
However, on long routes, only a limited number of buses left Gabtoli, Sayedabad, and Gulistan terminals for different districts.
Speaking to The Daily Star, bus operators expressed dissatisfaction, saying the number of passengers was still too low as they feared violence on the roads.
360 BNP ACTIVISTS HELD
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press briefing yesterday said over 360 party members were arrested in 18 cases over the last 24 hours and 1,785 named and many unnamed were accused.
With this, over 19,860 BNP leaders and activists have been arrested since October 28, party sources said.
Urging the aspirants to reconsider their decision to run in the January 7 national election, Rizvi said, "If you have the slightest patriotism, humanity, or conscience, then come back … Those of you who have submitted nomination papers for such a farcical election, withdraw them. Otherwise, the people will not forgive you…."
He also urged the government officials not to "assist in the election" and called on voters to refrain from voting.
11 MORE VEHICLES TORCHED
According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence, at least 11 vehicles were torched in 24 hours till around 11:30pm yesterday.
Unidentified arsonists set fire to a bus of Baishakhi Paribahan in the capital's Badda around 7:50pm, said Rozina Akhter, a duty officer at the fire service headquarters, adding that two fire engines were sent to douse the fire.
In the capital's Maniknagar, three Ekushe Express buses were set on fire by unidentified criminals around 4:45pm.
A bus was torched by unidentified criminals in Chattogram city's C&B Colony area around 11:30pm yesterday, said Pankaj Dutta, additional deputy commissioner (north zone) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police.
He said the bus was parked along a road in the area.
On information, a fire engine rushed to the scene and put out the blaze.
A lorry and a bus were torched in separate attacks in Gazipur's Kapasia and Chandra.
Locals doused the fire on the lorry around 10:45am. The bus in Chandra was torched around 11:30am.
Earlier in the day, arsonists set fire to a staff bus of Agrani Bank in the apital's Khilgaon.
Another parked bus was torched near Sylhet city's Kadamtali Bus Terminal around 8:15pm.
Quoting the bus driver and witnesses, Titop Sikder, warehouse inspector of the Fire Service in the city's Dakshin Surma, said, "The bus had just reached the terminal from Sherpur and the staffers left to have some snacks. In the meantime, the fire broke out.
"The Fire Service was informed at 8:21pm and two fire engines came and doused the blaze. However, the bus was completely burnt with all glasses shattered."
In Sirajganj's Shahjadpur upazila, a pick-up was set on fire, and the firemen went to the scene around 9:25pm and extinguished the flame, said Rakibul Hassan, a fire service duty officer.
No casualties were reported in the aforementioned incidents. However, one person sustained burns when a Green Anabil bus was set on fire around 9:00pm in the capital's Matuail. Hassan Jubayer, 26, was receiving treatment at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
Mofizul Alam, officer-in-charge of Jatrabari Police Station, said no arrests were made yet as the arsonists could not be identified. BNP and its allies have called nationwide road-rail-waterway blockades along with hartals to protest the polls schedule recently announced by the Election Commission.
The party's Nayapaltan headquarters has been padlocked since October 28.