Afternoon mayhem panics Dhaka dwellers

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Miscreants torched three buses and vandalised 15 other vehicles in different parts of the capital Sunday afternoon sending panic through city on the eve of opposition-called 48-hour countrywide shutdown.

Nearly 20 men suddenly took to the streets in Paltan, Motijheel and Malibagh areas and unleashed the violence, witnesses said.

They set fire to a bus in front of the National Sports Council building near Baitul Mukarram Mosque around 12:30pm, Fire Service and Civil Defence sources said.

Meanwhile, another bus was set on fire near Malibagh’s Ayesha Shopping Complex around 1:40pm, Ramna Police Station Inspector (patrol) Mohammad Shahid said.

“Miscreants blasted some crude bombs and fled the scene. Soon after the bus was seen engulfed in flames,” he said citing witnesses.

Malibagh is less than a kilometre away from Moghbazar – the headquarters of Jamaat-e-Islami.

It was, however, remained unclear exactly who were behind the blasts and arson.

They also vandalised nearly 15 vehicles in Dainik Bangla intersection and Fakirerpool areas. When contacted, Paltan police said some miscreants resorted to the violence.

The attack took place hours after a Jamaat-e-Islami leader from Sylhet was arrested in Dhaka. Meanwhile, BNP and its partners will enforce two days of daylong, nationwide shutdowns starting Monday to demand release of its leaders and activists detained from the party headquarters.

Source: Priyo