2 more buses set on fire in Dhaka

Two more buses have been set on fire in the capital on the second day of the hartal today.

A bus of the Tanzil Paribahan on the Sadarghat-Mirpur route was set on fire when it reached Paltan area at 5:10pm on Monday (20 November). There were no casualties as the passengers quickly got off the bus.

Meanwhile, unidentified persons set fire to a bus that transports employees of Sonali Bank in Motijheel this afternoon. Locals called the fire service immediately. They extinguished the fire before firemen reached the spot.

Deputy Commissioner of Motijheel Division of Police Hayatul Islam Khan told media that the bus was standing in the lane behind Madhumita Cinema Hall. The fire did minor damage to the rear of the bus. No one was injured in the incident.

A person, claiming to be a passenger of the bus, said after the bus arrived, several people got off in a hurry. Within moments, the rear of the bus was on fire.

Earlier, a BRTC double-decker bus was set on fire in Mirpur area around 2:35pm. Two fire service units brought the fire under control around 2:45pm, confirmed Fire Services and Civil Defense Station Officer Talha Bin Zasim.

BNP, Jamaat and some other opposition parties called the hartal after they had earlier observed five countrywide blockades of roads, rail and waterways. The blockades were marked by frequent burning of vehicles, particularly buses, in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

Earlier on Saturday (18 November), BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called upon people from all walks of life and opposition leaders and activists to observe the hartal peacefully and make it a success.

The hartal was called as the parties push home their demand to ensure the national election is held under a caretaker government.