16 others have been burnt by the petrol bomb
Seven people have been burnt alive in an arson on a night bus around Jogmohonpur under Chouddagram upazila in Comilla early Tuesday.
Of the deceased, six are Nuruzzaman, 50, his daughter Maisha, 14 from Jessore; Asma Begum, 40, her son Shanto, 8, from Narshingdi; Yusuf, 40, and Abu Taher, 40, from Cox’s Bazar.
A total of 16 others were burnt in the attack. Six of the injured have been admitted to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Of them, two are in critical condition.
Monir Hossain, assistant director of Comilla Fire Service, said: “Miscreants hurled petrol bombs at a Dhaka-bound night coach of Icon Paribahan on Dhaka-Chittagong highway around 3:30am, leaving seven passengers dead on the spot and 16 others injured.”
Being informed, four firefighting units went to the spot and doused the blaze.
The injured were rushed to Comilla Medical College and Hospital and Chouddagram Upazila Health Complex.
The BNP-led 20-party alliance has been observing nationwide non-stop blockade of roads and waterways.
The BNP chief, Khaleda Zia, has been living in her office since January 3. She was barred from taking part in a rally on Jan 5 to mark the ‘death of democracy’ in Bangladesh, and declared anti-government movement.
Tuesday was also the third day of a 72-hour general strike, called on top of the blockade.
The ruling Awami League swept to power with an overwhelming majority in the Jan 5 elections of 2014 boycotted by the main opposition BNP and its allies.
Blockade-related violence has killed more than 40 people since Jan 5.
Hundreds of vehicles, including those belonging to law-enforcers, were burnt and attacked.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
