As a bus of Komal Paribahan was waiting for passengers at Gulistan around 12:30pm to leave for Chittagong Road three people boarded it.
Two of them changed their seats several times as if they wanted to be seated in a comfortable position.
Little did other people know that they were spreading gunpowder on the seats and floor of the bus.
By the time the bus went past Jatrabari intersection with about 30 passengers those two passengers moved to the back seats.
As soon as the bus reached Rayerbagh area at about 2pm there was a loud bang at the back of the bus. In no time a devastating fire broke out. In few seconds the bus was engulfed in flames leaving the passengers nonplussed. No one could get out as the bus was running at a speed of 70 kph.
This was how a passenger narrated the harrowing tales of the ten ill-fated people who were on the bus when it went into flames. All the injured are now undergoing treatment at Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
One of them is a student of Eden College, who fell victim to the mindless arson attack of opposition activists on the third day of 84-hour-long shutdown.
Mohammad Khalil, 35, a rickshaw puller, who was going to Chittagong Road, gave the first-hand and vivid account of how it happened. He got on the bus with two other unidentified youths and sat next to the driver.
As the bus caught fire Khalil broke open the front windshield of the bus and jumped out of it to save his life. He received minor injuries to his legs.
Of the injured, the condition of 28-year-old flower businessman Abdur Rahim was stated to be critical as he was admitted with 37% burn injury. Son of late Yeasin, he comes from Bagbari of Munshiganj. He was going back home from Sanir Akhra.
The second critical patient is AK Azad, 45, who was admitted with 25% burn injury. He is a painter in profession and going to his in-law’s house at Kutubpar of Fatullah after completing his regular works in the capital’s Motijheel area.
Tarek Ahmmed, 20, a student of Dhaka Polytechnic College, son of Abdur Rashid, received 23% burn injury. He was going home at Konapara after his classes at college.
Another victim, Abdul Mannan, 35, a physically challenged man was writhing in pain in the hospital with 19% burn injury. He works for the Islami Foundation. He lives in Chittagong Road with his only son and wife. He was going home a bit earlier after his office work.
]The five other patients are named as Rabeya Sultana, 22, a Master’s Degree student of political science department of Eden College. She was going back home at Siddirganj of Narayanganj from college. The fire burnt 11% of her body.
GM Shuvo, son of Abdul Hashem, was going to his home at Fatullah as no other direct bus was available because of hartal. He received 15% burn injury.
Abdul Hai Chowdhury, 36, a construction worker was going to his home at Kutubpur of Fatullah of Narayanganj as regular work was suspended due to hartal but he is now groaning on the hospital bed instead with 10% burn injury.
AB Siddique, a contractor of Narsingdhi received 8% burn injury while Anower Hossain, 30, a rickshaw puller from Chittagong Road 10% burn injury.
]Partha Shankar Pal, residential doctor of burn and plastic surgery unit, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The patients are now in the observation wards and after proper observation in there we would shift them to different wards like High Definition Unit and Intensive Care Unit as per their treatment.
