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Crude bomb blasts, arson attacks continue
✦ Sabotages prompt tighter security, high alert nationwide ✦ 200 check posts set up by DMP
Crude bomb blasts and arson attacks on vehicles in Dhaka and Faridpur on Friday prompted law enforcement agencies to tighten security across the country, but similar attacks continued in the capital and other places on Saturday.
Multiple crude bombs exploded at Jatrabari Chourasta on Saturday evening, confirmed Jatrabari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Raju.
"We are working on the matter. More details will be provided later," he said.
Sources said that unidentified individuals detonated four crude bombs in front of Samad Super Market at around 7:35pm, injuring a rickshaw driver, Md Billal.
Meanwhile, two buses were set on fire in the Mirpur area within a span of 15 minutes.
One incident occurred at Mirpur-1 intersection at around 7:30pm, where the rear of an” Abhijat Paribahan” bus caught fire, according to police.
Mirpur Crime Zone’s Assistant Commissioner Abul Bashar Mollah said that several seats inside the bus were burnt before people nearby managed to extinguish the flames, but no casualty was reported.
Earlier, at around 7:15pm, a passenger bus of “Shikhor Paribahan” caught fire in front of Zam Zam Tower in Mirpur-11.
A bus of Alif Enterprise was torched near Canadian University in Madhya Badda at 7:50pm. The fire was doused later, said police.
A leguna was set on the fire in front of South Keraniganj police station, on the outskirts of the capital, police said.
Three vehicles were reported to have been torched at Postogola, but it could not be confirmed from police.
Security beefed up
The security enhancement includes setting up check posts and stepping up patrols, according to the police and the Special Response Battalion (SRB).
Police said that cases had been filed following most of the incidents, with investigations under way in some. CCTV footage has been collected to trace those involved in the sabotage, and drives are being carried out to arrest them.
More than 200 check posts were set up in the capital on Saturday and patrolling was stepped up in the capital, Niaz Mehedi, additional deputy commissioner (Media and PR) at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), confirmed to the Daily Sun.
Passersby and commuters with their vehicles were searched at the temporary check posts at key points, flyovers and entry points, he said, but findings at the posts were not disclosed.
“To maintain the overall safety of city residents and keep peace and order intact, every division of the DMP is on round-the-clock alert. The DMP is calling for the full cooperation of city residents in maintaining law and order,” he said.
Commander MZM Intekhab Chowdhury, director of the SRB's Legal and Media Wing, told the Daily Sun that Battalions 2, 3, 4 and 10 were deployed after the incidents.
They collected CCTV footage from the scenes and are analysing it to trace the culprits. They were also trying to identify the owners of the motorcycles on which some of the attackers had hurled the bombs, he said.
Asked whether the Awami League, militant outfits or any other group was involved, he said they could say so only after the attackers had been arrested.
Bomb blast, arson on weekend
On Friday, tension flared as at least 14 crude bomb blasts were reported at Malibagh, Mohakhali, Agargaon, Jatrabari, Moghbazar and Babu Bazar. A bus was set on fire near Kafrul police station in the capital, while another was torched in Faridpur.
In Jatrabari, Ibadur Rahman, a rickshaw puller from Kurigram, was injured at around 7.45pm on Friday when several crude bombs exploded in front of the main gate of Jatrabari police station. He is undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police said.
The inspector (investigation) of the police station told the Daily Sun that a policeman filed a case against unknown people over the incident on Saturday, but no one has been arrested.
Police said that two crude bomb explosions were reported near the Malibagh railway crossing shortly after Jumah prayers. Amirul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shahjahanpur police station, told the Daily Sun that police had filed a case as the complainant against 20 to 25 unknown people. He added that they were trying to arrest those involved in the sabotage.
Several crude bombs were exploded near Moghbazar Jame Mosque and beside BTV Bhaban in Rampura, under the jurisdiction of Hatirjheel police station. Mohammad Asaduzzaman, OC of the police station, told the Daily Sun that police had recorded a case against unknown people, but no one had been arrested.
A bomb blast was also reported in Mohakhali, under Banani police station. Faridul Islam, OC of the police station, told the Daily Sun that a case had been filed against unknown people and a suspect had been detained.
Md Robiul, OC of Kotwali Police Station, said a bomb exploded under the Babubazar Bridge at around 8pm on Friday.
At around 10.14pm, an empty bus caught fire outside Kafrul Police Station. Firefighters brought the blaze under control. The OC of Kafrul Police Station told the Daily Sun that they were investigating whether it was sabotage or an accident. He said no case had been filed. However, DMP ADC (Media) Niaz said a case had been filed over the bus torching.
Mahmudul Hasan, officer-in-charge of Faridpur Kotwali Police Station in Faridpur, said that a bus was set on fire by unidentified individuals beside the Karimpur Highway Police Station in the Kanaipur area at about 10.45pm on Friday.
“Police and fire service personnel reached the scene immediately after receiving the information and brought the situation under control,” he said.
Police were investigating the incident to identify those responsible, the OC added.
When contacted, AHM Shahdat Hossain, assistant inspector general (Media) of Police Headquarters, told the Daily Sun that the DMP enhanced security, while in other parts of the country, police are on high alert as usual.
However, on 11 September, several hundred Awami League supporters brought out a procession in Gulshan and set off some bombs. Over the incident, the DC of the Gulshan Crime Division and the OC of Gulshan Police Station were withdrawn. According to the DMP Media and PR Division, 179 people were arrested following the Gulshan incident.