Yet another two people succumbed to their burn injuries yesterday, raising the death toll in the recent grisly arson attacks during the countrywide blockade to 68.
Abul Kalam Azad, a day labourer, and Hasib, a truck helper, died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogra respectively.
Azad, 40, got over 70% of his body burnt in an arson attack on a bus of Napu Enterprise in Gaibandha on Friday night. He hailed from Sheesha village of the district.
The bus was carrying around 50 passengers when it came under attack in Tulshighat area around 10:45pm.
Four people, including a child and a woman, were burnt alive on the spot and at least 30 others were injured. While receiving treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, three others died.
A case was filed with Gaibandha Sadar police station last night in connection with the attack against 90 people, including Gaibandha district unit BNP President Anisuzzaman Khan Babu and Gaibandha Sadar upazila unit General Secretary Morshed Habib Sohel.
Besides, truck helper Hasib was injured when the vehicle was firebombed in Sahajanpur upazila of Bogra on Saturday evening.
“With 95% burn injury in his body, the 30-year-old died at 2:05am,” said Dr Shahidullah Dewan, registrar of the surgery department of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.
Hasib hailed from Kazipur of Sirajganj.
Yesterday was the first day of the 72-hour general strike imposed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance amid the indefinite blockade.
In the capital, at least eight people were injured in separate crude bomb blasts.
A bomb was blasted at Teacher Student Centre (TSC) of the University of Dhaka around 6:30pm, leaving three students injured. They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
At least four people sustained injuries when bombs were exploded at Shaheed Nagar area around 6:30pm. Three of the victims were sent to the DMCH.
A crude bomb was blasted on the ground floor of the Arts Faculty building at the University of Dhaka in the morning. It was blasted when an indefinite strike of Chhatra Dal was underway at the university.
The strike demanded resignation of Vice-chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, who Chhatra Dal said had failed to ensure co-existence of activists of all political parties on the campus.
A crude bomb was blasted on the premises of Noakhali District Judge Court and two people – a truck helper and a trader - received burn injuries in separate petrol bomb attacks in the district yesterday.
In Tangail’s Sakhipur upazila, RAB detained a man, Sumon, along with five petrol bombs early Sunday.
RAB 12 official Mohiuddin Faruque said Sumon was a BNP activist.
In Chittagong, police arrested Mahbubul Alam, councillor of ward no 4 under Chittagong City Corporation, in Chandgaon area in a case filed over a crude bomb attack on police on January 21.
Syed Abdur Rouf, officer-in-charge of Chandgaon police station, said the detainee lives in Faridapara area of Chandgaon.
In Barisal, seven BNP activists were arrested yesterday in connection with the petrol bomb attack on a truck which killed three people on the spot.
The attack was made at Mahilara in Gaurnadi upazila on Saturday.
Several petrol bombs were hurled at Maitree Exprees train in the afternoon in Pabna.
Humayun Kabir, officer-in-charge of railway police, said the bombs were thrown of the Dhaka-bound train but none was injured.
A covered van helper and the driver sustained injuries when miscreants blasted a crude bomb in Kazaldighi area of Feni in the morning. The truck was travelling to Dhaka from Chittagong.
