3 leaders of banned political parties arrested in bus arson incident

Police have arrested three leaders from the Awami League and the Chhatra League in connection with a fire that destroyed two 'Al Baraka Paribahan' buses at the Gabtali intersection on the bypass road in Naogaon town. They were apprehended during operations conducted in various parts of the town on Tuesday (November 10) afternoon and evening.

The arrested individuals are Ekramul Bari Dollar, 26, Vice-President of the Naogaon District Chhatra League; Md. Shahanur Newaz Likhan, 28; and Md. Shishir, 55, Vice-President of the Awami League for Ward No. 5 of the town.

According to police sources, Md. Shishir was arrested on Tuesday evening from the Sonarpatty area of the town, while the other two were taken into custody from their respective homes.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Naogaon Sadar Model Police Station, Md. Mintu Rahman, confirmed the arrests, stating that the individuals were taken into custody in connection with a case involving arson and acts of sabotage. They are currently being interrogated, and the investigation is ongoing. They will be sent to jail via the court on Wednesday.

Earlier, around 12:30 AM on the night of Monday (November 9), two 'Al Baraka Paribahan' buses parked side-by-side at the Gabtali intersection on the bypass road in Naogaon town caught fire. Upon receiving the report, a Fire Service unit promptly arrived at the scene and brought the blaze under control. However, the buses were largely consumed by the fire, leaving behind only their metal frames. No casualties were reported.

The owner of the buses, Md. Sagir Ahmed, stated that both vehicles sustained similar levels of damage, with each loss estimated at Tk. 15 to 16 lakh, bringing the total damage to approximately Tk. 30 to 32 lakh. He noted that it could take two to three months to repair the buses and return them to service.

Following the incident, the bus owner and local residents alleged that the fire had been set deliberately. Initially, the police suggested that the blaze might have originated from a mosquito coil. The police indicated that they would investigate the incident using CCTV footage and information technology to determine the actual cause. Meanwhile, the police investigation continues into the involvement of the three individuals arrested in connection with the bus fire, as well as the actual cause of the blaze.

-    SS/NS