Three buses at Matuail, police car set on fire at Shyamoli
A police car was set on fire and several vehicles vandalised at the capital's Shaymoli area. Meanwhile, three buses have also been set on fire during and after the clashes between BNP leaders-activists and police at Matuail.
A member of the police witnessing the incident said that more than a hundred people brought out a procession from the direction of Gabtoli, wielding sticks and rods. They set a police car, parked on the street opposite the Shaymoli Square, afire around 1:15pm. They vandalised several buses and cars at the time.
Two people arrived and forced the driver to get off of the bus. They then set the bus on fire and recorded a video. A motorcycle arrived later and the three of them left on that bike.
In this concern, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)’s additional deputy commissioner (ADC) in Tejgaon zone, Rubayet Ferdous, told Prothom Alo that several persons have been detained in connection to the fire and vandalism. They are being vetted to find out who of them were involved in the attack.
In the meantime, there have been incidents of chase-counter chase and clashes between police and BNP leaders-activists at Matuail. Two passenger buses were set on fire in front of Matuail Matri Sadan hospital on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway at the time. The passenger at the time hurried off of the bus. Fire fighters came and put out the fire later.
There has been an incident of one more passenger bus being set on fire in front of Santu Filing Station in South Matuail around 1:45pm. Later, the fire was brought under control around 2:00pm.
A witness named Sabbir Ahmed said that the bus was getting out of the petrol pump. Only the driver was there inside the bus. Two people arrived and forced the driver to get off of the bus. They then set the bus on fire and recorded a video. A motorcycle arrived later and the three of them left on that bike.
Driver of the bus, Md Sanaullah told Prothom Alo, “I drove from Bajitpur and dropped the passengers off at Gulistan. We always collect fuel from here, that’s why we came. I was just about to reverse the bus when three people came and two of them got onto the bus. They said, ‘Get down from the bus or we will throw patrol on you.’ I turned off the engine and jumped out. They started the fire and left on the bike.”