Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called it an act of “unforgivable crime against humanity” as at least four people died in the arson attack on the Benapole Express Train in Dhaka on Friday night.
The minister said that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
Five compartments of the train burned down when miscreants set fire to the passenger train in the capital's Gopibagh area ahead of Sunday's general elections.
“This has shocked the conscience of our whole society—and indeed, the whole world,” the foreign minister wrote in a message.
“We will leave no stone unturned to find out the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Each and every one will be brought to justice, and exemplary punishment shall be rendered to the culprit(s), according to the law of the land,” he said.
The message was posted on the Foreign Ministry’s website. It read: “When the people of Bangladesh are eagerly preparing for a festive national election, a horrifying act of arson took place on the evening of January 5, 2024, when the Benapole Express, a symbol of connectivity and progress, was intentionally set ablaze by miscreants.
“This deliberate and heinous act, which occurred at approximately 9pm in Gopibag Kachabazar area on its way to Kamalapur Railway Station, has resulted in the deaths of four persons, including two children, and scores were injured.
“This reprehensible incident, undoubtedly orchestrated by those with malicious intent, strikes at the very heart of our democratic values. The timing of this tragedy, just a day before the election scheduled for January 7, 2024, shows an absolute intention to hinder the festivity, safety, and security of the democratic processes of the country.”
The minister added: “It is an affront to democracy, an attack on the democratic process, and a grave violation of the rights of our citizens.
“This deliberate act of setting a train on fire, where innocent passengers were subjected to unimaginable horror and forced to endure the unforgivable sight of fellow humans being burned alive, is an act of absolute abomination.
“This blatant attempt to instill fear and panic among the masses is an affront to the spirit of our democracy and the enthusiastic participation of our citizens in the upcoming election.
“This act of setting a train on fire, with people burning inside, is characteristic of the pattern of violence that we have witnessed before as well.”
