Dhaka Bureau: BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami called 154 incidents of arson across the country during the last 17 days of the strike-blockade. In 135 incidents, vehicles were burned.
Analyzing the information received from all over the country, the fire service said that out of 64 districts, structures and vehicles were set on fire in 25 districts. In the remaining 39 districts, there was no report of any sabotage related to the fire.
This information was given in a press release sent by the Fire Service Media Branch on Tuesday. It is said that the most cases of arson occurred in Dhaka; such sabotage did not happen in Sylhet division.
Among the remaining districts, Gazipur has seen the highest number of incidents of arson. Especially in Gazipur, more vandalism happened at night than during the day.
Awami-BNP office, councilor’s office, electricity office, bus counter, etc. were set on fire in several incidents. The burned vehicles include buses, trucks, private cars, microbuses, covered vans, ambulances, autorickshaws, fire service water vehicles, and other vehicles.
The fire service says that there are more incidents of arson at night than during the day. 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. has been chosen in most places for lighting the fire.
From October 28 to November 13, 61 incidents of fire vandalism occurred during the day and 93 during the night, according to the fire service.
The ongoing sabotage across the country began on October 28. From the day of the mass meeting called by the BNP to demand the fall of the government
After that, the party held a blockade program for nine days in four stages, one by one. The same-minded alliances and parties with the BNP are also carrying out this program to demand the next elections under the caretaker government.
After morning-evening hartal on October 29, BNP-Jamaat was blocked for three consecutive days across the country from October 31 to November 2, with a break for one day. At the end of that blockade, they gave programs on 5 and 6 and 8 and 9 November. Then on November 12 and 13, the BNP held a 48-hour blockade, with a break on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday and Thursday, the fifth phase of the program was given by the BNP.
Number of fires: The fire service says that out of 154 arson incidents, 29 occurred on October 28, the day of the BNP rally. This was followed by 19 arson incidents on October 29, the day of the hartal, and one arson incident on October 30, the day the agitation program took a break.
During the 72-hour siege, 11 arson attacks occurred on October 31, 14 on November 1, and 7 on November 2. There was no blockade on November 3, and the fire service did not provide any information on that day.
There was a break in the siege on November 4, and on that day, six places were set on fire. A two-day siege followed on November 5, with 13 arson attacks on November 6.
The program was interrupted on November 7 when two vehicles were set on fire. Then there were nine incidents of arson on November 8 and seven on November 9 during the two-day siege.
On November 10 and 11, there was no blockade on Friday and Saturday, but there were nine fire incidents on those two days. The fourth phase of the siege was followed by seven incidents of arson on November 12 and seven on November 13.
Fires in vehicles and structures: The fire service says that 94 buses were burned across the country in the next 17 days, starting on October 28. Besides, 3 microbuses, 2 private cars, 13 trucks, and 8 covered vans were set on fire. 8 motorcycles, an ambulance, 2 pickups, and 2 autorickshaws were burned in the vandalism fire.
Each Nachiman, Laguna, fire service water vehicle has been burned. A police car was also set on fire. Besides, 5 offices of BNP, 1 office of Awami League, 1 police box, 1 councilor office, 2 electricity offices, 1 bus counter, and 2 sales centers were burned.
Number of fires in which division: highest; 34 arson incidents occurred in Dhaka division; and 82 in Dhaka city. Besides, 14 fire incidents occurred in Chittagong Division, 9 in Rajshahi Division, 6 in Barisal Division, 6 in Rangpur Division, 2 in Khulna Division, and 1 in Mymensingh Division.
According to district-wise statistics, Gazipur district has the highest number of cases of arson. The fire service has received reports of 15 incidents in Gazipur, 8 in Chittagong, 6 in Narayanganj, 5 in Bogra, 4 in Manikganj, 4 in Faridpur, and 4 in Lalmonirhat.
On October 28, there was also an incident of beating fire service personnel while extinguishing fire in Shahjahanpur, the capital. At that time, a fire truck from the fire service was burned.
