9 cases filed, 448 accused in Dhaka bus inferno

The police have filed nine cases in different areas of the capital against 448 people for setting fire to buses in the capital on Thursday.

Of the accused — mostly leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its affiliate organisations — 20 people have already been detained. Among them, one was arrested in Motijheel, six in Shahbag, nine in Paltan, two in Bangshal, and two in Kalabagan.

Police sources informed that among those sued at Motijheel police station is Ishraq Hossain, the defeated BNP candidate in the Dhaka-6 constituency.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir termed the incident as “pre-planned and purposeful”, strongly condemning it and protesting against such incidents on behalf of the party.

Several unnamed people have also been accused in these cases.

According to the case statement, the cases have been filed under the Special Powers Act and the Explosives Control Act.

Nine buses were set on fire in different parts of the capital between 12 noon and 4:30 pm on Thursday. According to police, the first fire broke out in a state-owned public bus parked on the north side of the BNP's central office in Naya Paltan around 12 noon. At 4:30 pm, another bus caught fire in the Bhatara area. Another bus was also set on fire at night.

It is also being investigated whether this incident took place in connection with the by-election of Dhaka-18 constituency held on Thursday, police said.