Dhaka: At least four people were killed and several injured in a train fire in Dhaka city Friday night, including a young man who attempted to rescue others, as panic gripped Bangladesh. This was the eighth incident of arson involving trains since 16 November, killing eight passengers in total, The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi English daily, reported.
The Benapole Express, which was travelling from Benapole to Dhaka, was allegedly set on fire by unidentified men near the Gopibagh market of Sayedabad around 9 pm, shortly before reaching the Kamalapur railway station, according to local media reports.
“We initially suspected a fire from households due to the congested area. However, we later discovered that the fire originated from a train. We suspect there may be more individuals inside the train. Now, we will enter and conduct a search and rescue operation,” said Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, the deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Wari Division.
The Bangladesh Railway’s Dhaka Division office has formed a seven-member committee to investigate the incident. The committee has been tasked with determining the cause of the fire and the responsibilities of the officials concerned, according to a press statement issued by the Bangladesh Railway a few hours after the incident.
The committee has been given three working days to submit its report, the statement added.
Friday’s incident is the latest in a series of violent and arson attacks that have rocked Bangladesh since 28 October last year.
Ahead of the national elections, the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the largest Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, have been protesting against the ruling Awami League government on the streets — leading to frequent clashes and arson across the country.
On 4 January, three events were held at the National Press Club in Dhaka, where the families of the victims, journalists, activists and academics called for an end to the violence during the blockades called by the BNP and Jamaat.
“The academics who spoke at the event, also criticised the US stance that they said ‘emboldened’ the BNP and Jamaat supporters,” the United News of Bangladesh reported.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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