Bus set on fire in Hazaribagh at midnight

A bus was set on fire by miscreants on Beribadh road in Hazaribagh, Dhaka, in the middle of the night. All seats in the vehicle were completely burnt, though police reported that no one was injured in the incident.

The incident occurred around midnight on Saturday. According to police, the bus had been stationary in front of Hazaribagh Government School and College when it was set on fire. The miscreants fled the scene. Two units of the fire service arrived promptly and extinguished the fire.

Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Hazaribagh police station, told Prothom Alo that investigations are underway to determine who was responsible. CCTV footage from the scene is being analysed and other technological means are being employed to gather evidence.

Meanwhile, at approximately 11:10 pm the previous night, an object resembling a crude bomb was detonated on platform 2 of Dhaka airport railway station.

Taslima Akter, officer-in-charge of the airport police station, confirmed the incident to Prothom Alo. She said, “A loud explosion occurred on platform 2, but no remnants of a crude bomb device were found at the scene. Fortunately, no one was injured. The railway police are investigating the matter.”

The incidents had started ahead of the scheduled verdict on 13 November in a case against the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, relating to alleged crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising. On that day, the Awami League had announced a ‘lockdown’.

From the night of 7 November, a series of incidents, including crude bomb explosions and buses being set on fire, began across Dhaka and other areas.

The International crimes tribunal-1 has scheduled the verdict for Monday, 17 November. Ahead of this, the Awami League has announced online programmes, while sporadic incidents of explosions and bus fires have continued in Dhaka and other locations.