At least four people, including a woman and her son, were killed as arsonists set three coaches of a train on fire near Dhaka's Tejgaon Railway Station yesterday morning.
Two of the deceased from Tuesday’s attack were identified as Nadira Akter Poppy, 35, and her three-year-old son, Md Yasin, said Inspector Bachhu Mia, in-charge of the DMCH police outpost.
Three carriages of the Mohanganj Express train were set on fire at 5:04am, Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell, confirmed.
On information, three firefighting units from Tejgaon Fire Station rushed to the spot and tame the blaze around 6:45am, he said.
They recovered the bodies of the victims from one of the compartments, the Fire Service official added.
During a press conference on the attack, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan yesterday said railways are facing constant attacks during the BNP’s blockades and hartals, seriously hampering rail services.
Sujan decided not to put the blame on anyone directly, saying nothing can be said for certain without proper investigation.
Referring to trains as the only safe transport during past strikes, blockades, and political violence, the minister said: "However, there have been some attacks on railways lately, endangering the safety of passengers."
"They (BNP) enforce programs like hartals and blockades on weekdays, except for two days. The attacks on railways took place on these days.”
“Sabotage and vandalism are impeding safe railway journeys. Violence related to railways has been increasing since October 28,” he further said.
In response to a question about what steps have been taken to reduce accidents on railways, the railways minister said: "I have spoken to the Railway Nirapatta Bahini and the police. I have spoken to the home minister about cooperation on railways.”
He added: "If miscreants pose as passengers to get on trains and cause sabotage, it becomes impossible for the railway authorities to control it. The BNP and Jamaat did the same thing in 2013-14.”
However, BNP Senior Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has expressed sorrow over the deaths in the arson attack, calling the attackers a disgrace to humanity and demanding a judicial inquiry into the incident.
DMP chief blames hartal enforcers
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman has said those who are enforcing hartals and blockades are behind the arson attack.
While talking to reporters at Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday afternoon, he said: “You all know that a political party is destroying lives and property in the name of hartals and blockades, and primarily police believe the arson attack on the train in Tejgaon today is also a part of this.”
“I want to say that those who called hartals and blockades are behind the arson attack on the train. Those who have committed such crimes before have been arrested, and they have given such statements,” he said.
Referring to the recent Gazipur train derailment, the DMP chief said one person died in the incident as miscreants cut off a portion of the railway track.
“I would say the man was killed because of this. I want to call every death caused by such acts of sabotage murder,” he added.
The DMP commissioner said: “Police believe that those behind these incidents are part of the hartals and blockades, and certainly the central [leadership’s] decision is involved. Followers of the party are carrying out attacks through their men."
After talking to a person who was injured in the arson attack on the train and who is undergoing treatment at a hospital, it came to light that the perpetrators carried out the attack under the guise of passengers.
“According to the victim, a seat was first set on fire, which soon spread, and the passengers started to run. Some were jumping out of the train through its windows, some through its doors. As the attack was carried out at dawn, many were asleep,” said Habibur.
Replying to a question on whether the attackers were following the orders of any leader abroad as many leaders are in jail, the DMP chief said: “Those who are calling hartals, carrying out arson attacks, and sabotage are doing these following the order of their leader living abroad through his local agents. It is clear as daylight.”
Responding to another query, Habibur said necessary steps will be taken to ensure the deployment of law enforcers in each train compartment to avert such incidents.
“Railway authorities have taken the initiative to deploy law enforcers on trains,” the DMP chief said.
Recent railway incidents
A commuter train was set ablaze in Tangail on November 16. Two coaches on the train were damaged.
Then, on November 19, miscreants set fire to the Jamuna Express in Jamalpur. Two coaches on the train were damaged.
On November 22, the Upaban Express was set on fire while it was parked at Sylhet station. Although there were no casualties, one compartment was damaged.
On December 13, miscreants cut off 20 feet of railway track at Rajendrapur in Gazipur, causing six coaches of the Mohonganj Express, running from Netrokona to Dhaka, to derail. One person was killed, and around 50 passengers were injured.
