Two more arson victims die

Staff Correspondent

Two more arson victims died, three youths were killed by the police in reported incidents of ‘gunfight’ and a train coming from Kolkata came under firebomb attack in Pabna as the non-stop blockade continued for the 34th consecutive day on Sunday.No casualties were, however, reported in the firebomb attack on Moitree Express that was carrying 212 passengers.The death toll from violence during the blockade enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance since January 5 reached 88.In addition to the blockade, the 72-hour countrywide general strike called by the BNP-led alliance begum on Sunday morning in protest at killing of ‘numerous’ opposition leaders and activists in the name of crossfire and demanding ‘restoration’ of democracy.A crude bomb was blasted on a building at the District Judge’s Court in Noakhali and petrol bombs and crude bombs were hurled at goods-laden vehicles at places on the Dhaka Chittagong highway in Feni and Dhaka-Pabna highway in Pabna.Law enforcers arrested about 400 BNP and Jamaat activists and recovered several crude bombs from across the country.A truck helper and two traders were burnt as miscreants hurled petrol bombs at a truck in Noakhali.On Sunday evening miscreants blasted several crude bombs in front of central Shaheed Minar and Teachers-Students Centre at Dhaka University leaving at least seven people injured.

Of the two arson victims, Abul Kalam Azad, 42, who sustained burn injury in arson attack on a Gaibandha night-coach in Gaibandha on Friday night, died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital at about 2:45pm, raising the death toll from the incident to eight, New Age correspondent in Rangpur reported.Truck helper, Hasibul Islam, 36, of Panchgathi village at Kazipur upazila in Sirajganj, who suffered burn injuries along with three others in a firebomb attack on a truck at Shajahanpur upazila in Bogra on Saturday, died at the burn unit of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogra at about 2:15am, said burn unit registrar Shahidullah Dewyan.The police killed Islami Chhatra Shibir activist Jasim Uddin, 23, in a ‘gunfight’ at Mirpur and crime suspect Polash Mia, 35, in a ‘gunfight’ at Uttar Rampura village in South Comilla, while the Rapid Action Battalion killed crime suspect Bhaipo Raju, 22, in ‘gunfight’ in Jessore town’s Kazipur village on Sunday.At least 23 opposition activists were killed by law enforcers either in reported ‘gunfights’ or in police custody since the blockade began.New Age correspondent in Pabna reported that at least three petrol bombs were hurled on Dhaka-bound Moitree Express train near Ishwardi railway station in Pabna at about 2:55pm, Bangladesh Railway officials said.Station superintendent Mustafizur Rahman said that the attacks could cause no damage to the train that left the station at 4:10pm, delayed by an hour. A four-member probe committee headed by a divisional transportation officer was formed. It was asked to submit report in two days.Under a contingency plans 8,328 Ansars were deployed at 1,041 vulnerable points to protect railway tracks which faced growing attacks since the countrywide blockade enforced by the BNP-led alliance on January 5.
Railway officials said that unlike state-owned bus operator they would continue the lone international train service between Dhaka and Kolkata.

The BNP-led alliance alleged that the law enforcers detained many of their activists but the law enforcers were not admitting that they had arrested them and later they were being killed in ‘crossfire.’Although BNP-led alliance-called 72-hour general strike was underway in addition to the blockade, presence of vehicles on the streets in cities was seen though in lesser numbers. Private offices and business establishments were also open.Presence of passengers on the vehicles and visitors in the offices and business establishment was thin while the authorities shifted today’s Seconday School Certificate examinations for the shutdown.Transports were operating in lesser numbers on inter-district and long routes in daytime during the blockade and strike, but they said on Saturday that they would not operate buses on highways at night from now on.Trains were still running behind their schedules only after advance checks of tracks following several incidents of derailment due to sabotage.Pickets brought out only a very few flash processions and charged crude bombs at places in the capital.At least ten people were injured in separate crude bomb blasts in the city.Miscreants exploded a crude bomb in Teacher-Student Centre area at about 6:30pm, leaving three people injured, and two crude bombs were exploded at the gate of Shahbagh police station in the evening leaving two injured.At least four people were injured when crude bombs went off at Shaheed Nagar in the capital at about 6:30pm.One Rakibul Islam sustained splinter injuries as criminals hurled a crude bomb at a bus in Matsyabhaban area at about 7:00pm. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with head injuries.BNP joint secretary general Salah Uddin alleged, ‘Partisan law enforcers’ are carrying out a feast of extrajudicial killings across the country at prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s instruction while indiscriminate firing of gunshots at the protesters continues.’He alleged that the police killed Jasim Uddin, one of four Shibir activists who were picked up from city’s Shyamali on Saturday, in the name of crossfire. ‘Again, police are not admitting that the rest three — Sajeeb, Mannan, Abdullah — are in their custody,’ he alleged.Calling on all to enforce the blockade and shutdown peacefully, Salah Uddin said that the victory of a just mass movement was the ultimate destination.New Age correspondent reported that the police recovered at least 10 petrol bombs from near a local Awami League office at CJS colony at Agrabad under Double Mooring police station in the port city on early Sunday.Law enforcers detained about 400 BNP and Jamaat activists and also recovered several crude bombs from across the country. Of them, 23 were arrested in the capital, 44 in Khulna, 30 in Sirajganj, 25 in Gazipur, 18 in Sunamganj, 14 in Dinajpur, 12 in Lalmonirhat, 25 in Habiganj, 24 in Narail, 17 in Cox’s Bazar, 11 in Noakhali, seven in Narail, six in Comilla, five in Chandpur, five in Gopalganj, 15 in Maymensingh, four in Manikganj, four in Jhenaidah, one in Chittagong, one in Narayanganj, and one in Netrokona, seven in connections with Gauranadi arson attacks in Barisal, five in Rajshahi, 15 in Bogra, four in Magura, six in Jaipurhat, 60 in Pabna, two in Chuadanga, 11 in Natore and two in Sherpur.

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