Arson attacks have been reported from 20 polling centres in nine districts since Friday night. Fires were reported in Netrokona, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Tangail, Shariatpur, Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barguna, Moulvibazar and Patuakhali. The 12th national parliamentary election will held today(Sunday).
On Thursday, five polling centres were set on fire in Rajshahi and Feni.
Twenty-eight parties are contesting the election, but several other parties, including the BNP, are boycotting the polls after their demand for an impartial election-time government was not met. In response, the BNP called a hartal from 6:00am on Sunday to 6:00am Monday to press for its demand to boycott the polls.
At least six vehicles and 10 establishments were set on fire in 16 hours till 10:00am on Saturday, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence. Four people were killed as unidentified miscreants set fire to Benapole Express train in the capitals Gopibagh area on Friday night. Besides, two pick-up vans, one truck and two covered vans were torched by arsonists.
Thirty-two units and 151 members of Fire Service and Civil Defence worked to extinguish the fire, said Talha Bin Jasim, Station Officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Cell on Saturday.
One Buddhist temple and one educational institution were among the establishments. Our Netrokona Correspondent added that Four schools designated as polling centres came under arson attacks in a short span of time in Netrokonas Kendua upazila on Saturday, police officials said.
The schools are Dauki Govt Primary School, Durchapur Govt Primary School, Baghber Govt Primary School, and Durgapur Govt Primary School.
Quoting locals, Kendua Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Enamul Haque said the arson attacks began around 1:00am. Locals and policemen brought the blazes under control immediately.
Our Sunamganj Correspondent reports the polling centre at the Garakata Govt Primary School in Madhyanagar Upazilas Bangshikunda South Union was set on fire in the early hours of Saturday.
"A polling centre was set up at the Garakata Govt Primary School," said Sub Inspector Kamal Hossain of Madhyanagar Police Station. "The school was locked on Friday night. Two village police were on guard in one of the rooms. Suddenly, they noticed the fire and screamed out. Locals rushed to the location and brought the fire under control," the police officer added.
"We went to the scene with police personnel when the incident was reported," said Atish Chakma, the Madhyanagar Upazila Executive Officer and Assistant Returning Officer. "We are looking into the matter seriously. We are trying to find those responsible for the fire."
Our Tangail Correspondent writes a fire was set to an abandoned room of the Kandila Govt Primary School in Ward-1 of the Tangail Municipality around 6:00am on Saturday. Head Teacher Nazmul Anam said the fire had burnt one door and partially burnt another in the building.
The night watchman reported the fire in the morning, he said. He rushed to the school to find two doors on fire. The fire was then quickly put out.
Mohammad Lokman Hossain, chief of Tangail Sadar Police Station, said there was no damage as the locals extinguished the fire. Attempts are being made to arrest those involved in the incident.
Our Mymensingh Correspondent adds that two polling centres - Parshipara Govt Primary School at Ward 3 in Gafargaon Union of Gafargaon Upazila and Haripur Govt Primary School of Singrail Union in Nandail Upazila - were set ablaze on Saturday morning in Mymensingh.
Gafargaon Upazila, Executive Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, said, "The fire service went and brought the fire under control after it was reported at the Parashipara Govt Primary School polling centre. Whether the incident was due to an electrical short circuit or sabotage is under investigation."
However, there was not much damage from the fire, he said, adding that the centre was still prepared for the election.
Abdul Majid, chief of Nandail Police Station, said, "We are trying to find out how the fire broke out at the Haripur Govt Primary School centre. Initially, miscreants are believed to have started the fire." He said voting would still take place at the centre as it had not suffered much damage.
Our Gazipur Correspondent reports arson incidents were reported at the East Chandana Govt Primary School centre and the Banshtali Govt Primary School centre in Kaliakoir Upazila in the Wireless Gate area of Gazipur city on Saturday morning.
Md Abdullah-Al-Arefin, Deputy Assistant Director of Gazipur Fire Service, cited local residents, saying, "At around 1:30pm, miscreants poured petrol on a cupboard through the window of an office room inside East Chandana Govt Primary School in Gazipur city, set it on fire which soon spread."
"The cupboard began burning. The staff of Joydevpur Fire Station and Gazipur-Chowrasta Modern Fire Station went and extinguished the fire when it was reported. Books and some important documents in the cupboard were burnt in the fire."
Apart from this, an office room at Banshtali Govt Primary School was set on fire sometime during the night, said Iftekhar Rayhan, Station Officer of the Kaliakoir Fire Service.
Stating that some new books and educational materials of the office were burnt in the fire, he said that the locals rushed to the spot and extinguished the flames when it was spotted.
Our Rajbari Correspondent adds election campaign camps of two Awami League candidates were set on fire in Gazipur. A camp of Gazipur-3 AL candidate Rumana Ali was set on fire in Sreepur, while another for Gazipur-2 candidate Md Jahid Ahsan Rasel was set on fire in the citys north Rajbari area.
The campaign offices were set on fire at some point on Friday night near the Shafiq Intersection in Mulaid Village and the Rajbari Water Tank, police said.
"A few clothes were burnt in the Mulaid Village fire," said Md Shah Zaman, chief of Sreepur Police Station. "It will be investigated and legal action will be taken.
"Firefighters from Joydebput Fire Station went to the scene after it was reported and put out the fire with the help of local residents," said Abdullah Al Arefin, Deputy Assistant Director of the Gazipur Fire Service.
"Posters, electrical boards, wires, and other goods were burnt."
Our Habiganj Correspondent reports a fire broke out at around midnight at the Govt Primary School polling station adjacent to Lakshmipur market in Chunarughat Upazila.
Hillol Roy, chief of Chunarughat Police Station, said they rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control once it was reported. The incident will be investigated, and legal action will be taken, he said.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire spread to several rooms. Benches and other furniture were burnt. The police and fire service personnel reached the spot and brought the blaze under control.
Our Barguna Correspondent says two polling stations were set on fire in Amtali Upazila at around 11:00pm on Friday.
Amtali Police Station chief Kazi Shakhawat Hossain Tapu said, "Locals quickly extinguished the fire. There was no damage to the two centres. After hearing the news, I visited the spot."
Barguna Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said, "The fires at the two centres were extinguished soon after they started, so there won be any difficulty in conducting voting in the centres."
Our Staff Chattogram Correspondent writes a fire broke out at the Nishintapara Govt Primary School centre in the Dhuppul area of South Madhyam Halishahar at the Chattogram Port Police Station in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Chattogram City Police Deputy Commissioner (Port) Shakila Sultana said, "There was a fire in the head teachers room in the morning. After distributing the books to the students, some were left over. Among them, about 70 books were burnt. The centre will not face any problems because of this."
"The room was locked from the outside, the window was also closed. How the fire started is under investigation."
Our Shariatpur Correspondent adds the centre at Charmohan Sureshwar Primary School in Naria Upazilas Gharisha Union was set on fire on Friday night.
Union Council Chairman Abdur Rab Khan said, "We heard about the incident and brought the fire under control.
There was no damage to the polling station apart from the burning of three benches."
District Superintendent of Police Mahbubul Alam said, "Out of the 378 centres, criminals broke the window glass of one centre and set it on fire. There was no damage to the centre. Adequate security arrangements have been made by law enforcement agencies, including the police."
Our Khulna Correspondent reports fires were set at the Bagmara Govt Primary School centre in Rupsha Upazila and also at the Tipna Govt Primary School in Dumuria Upazilas Kharnia Union, which was mistaken for a polling centre, on Friday night.
"The primary school is not a polling centre," said Sukanta Saha, chief of Dumuria Police Station. "But it was set on fire because it was mistaken for one. A room in the school library was burnt. Police are inspecting the scene."
Mohammad Shawkat Kabir, chief of Rupsha Police Station, said, "The polling centre at Bagmara Govt Primary School was set on fire. But the criminals fled at the scream of the night guard. Locals helped extinguish the fire, so there wasn much damage.
Our Moulvibazar Correspondent informs a polling centre was set on fire at the Sadar upazila on Friday night.
Moulvibazar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge KM Nazrul said four youths on two motorcycles set fire on the polling station throwing kerosene in a plastic bottle inside the school.
Our Patuakhali Correspondet adds miscreants set fire to Sher-e-Bangla Girls High School, a polling centre in Patuakhali Sadar upazila early Saturday.
Patuakhali Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Jasim confirmed the matter, adding that police are trying to identify the arsonists and legal action would be taken in this regard.
