Bus fires, cocktail blasts continue for third day

At least seven cocktail explosions and four bus fires were reported in the capital and elsewhere on Sunday, along with an attempted bus arson, as such incidents continued for the third consecutive day following similar attacks on Friday and Saturday, prompting police to step up security measures across the capital.
Sunday’s bus fires and cocktail blasts
A Paristan Paribahan bus parked beside Pallabi Government College on Ceramic Road in Pallabi caught fire around 7:30am.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Mirpur Division Deputy Commissioner Md Mostak Sarker said the cause of the fire was being investigated.
Bus owner Khan Md Mahitul Islam said a former driver informed him about the incident, while a nearby tea-stall worker had seen smoke. The bus, Dhaka Metro-B-11-8703, was damaged, but no case had been filed.
Pallabi police station Officer-in-Charge Hasan Basir said the seats were burnt and efforts were underway to identify those responsible.
A cocktail exploded on the road in front of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy between 1:15pm and 2pm. Ramna Assistant Commissioner Md Mazharul Islam said the perpetrators were unknown.
Around 1pm, another cocktail exploded outside the High Court’s main gate. No one was injured. Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Zahidul Islam said police were investigating.
In Mymensingh, unidentified people set fire to a bus near the Polytechnic Institute at Maskanda bus stand around midnight.
Two Fire Service units brought the blaze under control within 20 minutes, but the bus was badly damaged. Bangladesh Agricultural University Fire Station Senior Officer Md Habibur Rahman said no casualties were reported. Kotwali Model police station OC Shibirul Islam said police were trying to identify those involved.
At Daulatdia bus terminal in Goalanda, Rajbari, a New Classical bus caught fire around 1am. The bus operated on the Daulatdia-Kushtia route. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the cause and extent of damage were unclear. Some locals suspected arson, while others suggested a mosquito coil. Police said neither explanation had been confirmed.
In Kadamtali in the capital, a Thikana Paribahan bus caught fire beside Shanta Filling Station around 1:03am. The fire was brought under control by 1:25am. Kadamtali police station Sub-Inspector Arif Hossain said the driver was asleep at the time and nobody was hurt. Four cocktails exploded around midnight at Mohakhali’s Amtoli intersection after being thrown from the flyover. No casualties were reported. Banani police station Inspector (Operations) AKM Mohin Uddin said CCTV footage was being reviewed.
Earlier, around 10:45pm on Saturday, a cocktail exploded near the Secretariat metro station, with no immediate casualty or damage reported. Four arrested over Friday Jatrabari cocktail blast, one detained over bus arson attempt DMP Detective Branch (DB) Wari Division arrested four people over Friday’s cocktail blast in front of Jatrabari police station.
They were Rayhan Uddin, 35, Russell Khan, 32, Ala Uddin, 28, and Abdullah, 28. Four unexploded cocktails were also recovered. DB Wari Division Deputy Commissioner Molla Mohammad Shaheen said an autorickshaw driver was seriously injured in Friday’s blast and CCTV footage helped identify the suspects. He said the four were active members of the banned Awami League.
Rayhan, an office secretary of a Bangshal ward unit, had previously spent five months in jail in an anti-terrorism case and later secured bail, he added.
A case was filed under the Explosives Act.
Shaheen said police believed the suspects aimed to create public panic and had a political objective. He said mobile phone communications between the suspects and fugitive Awami League leaders were being analysed and that police would seek remand.
In Azimpur, Lalbagh police detained Aminul Islam Shaon, 40, while he allegedly tried to torch a VIP bus around 2:15am.
Bus staff, locals and patrolling police caught him. An agitated crowd allegedly beat him, injuring his head and body. He was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Saturday sees 13 cocktail blasts, multiple bus fires From Saturday afternoon to late night, at least 13 cocktails exploded at nine locations in Dhaka. A bus was set on fire in front of Kafrul police station, while autorickshaw driver Ibadur Rahman was injured at Jatrabari intersection.
Blasts occurred at Agargaon at 6:15pm, Mohakhali at 6:30pm, Babubazar at 8pm, Moghbazar at 9pm, Rampura at 11pm and New Market around midnight.
Two cocktails exploded near Malibagh Sohag bus counter after Juma prayers, while blasts were reported at several other sites. Three cocktails exploded near the Jatrabari traffic box at 7:30pm.
Buses were also set on fire at two locations in Mirpur, Badda and Matuail, while a pickup van was set on fire in South Keraniganj. Police also reported a hand-bomb explosion at Kamalapur Railway Station around 10:30pm.