Arson attack on bus, driver killed

A bus driver was killed after unidentified miscreants set fire to a parked local bus in the early hours of Tuesday while he was sleeping inside the vehicle at a bus stand in Faridpur.

The incident took place around 3AM on Tuesday at Goalchamot New Bus Stand in Faridpur town.

The deceased was identified as Md Kalachand, 50, was a resident of Dignagar village in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj. He worked as the driver of a local bus operated by Kishore-Tanoy Paribahan on the Faridpur-Tekerhat-Madaripur route.

According to local residents and transport workers, the bus was parked on the road in front of Goalchamot New Bus Stand, with the driver asleep inside, when unidentified miscreants set it on fire around 3:00am.

On receiving information, firefighters rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control. Police from Kotwali Police Station also arrived and rescued the driver before taking him to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, where the attending physician declared him dead.

Sribas Baroi, senior station officer of Faridpur Fire Service, said firefighters reached the spot shortly after receiving the call at around 3AM and extinguished the fire.

Md Saddam, ward master at Faridpur Medical College Hospital, said a man identified as Kalachand Sheikh was brought to the hospital dead. Preliminary information suggested that he died from breathing difficulties caused by smoke inhalation.


Police are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, he added.