In a alarming series of events, 21 polling stations across the nation fell prey to flames between 24 hours, according to the police sources and the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defense. All the polling stations are reported educational institutions, and most of them are primary school.
The concerning report, delivered by the Fire Service Headquarters, police source and the Bangladesh Post’s district correspondents reveals a distressing pattern with 20 primary schools and one high school as polling station bearing the brunt of the arson attacks.
Duty Officer Rojina Akter, the spokesperson from the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defense, provided detailed insights into the 24-hour period of mayhem, spanning from Friday morning to Saturday morning. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, she disclosed that the fire department had promptly responded to extinguish the fires, ensuring the safety of individuals involved. However, despite their diligent efforts, the structural damage suffered by some of the affected schools, with burnt tables and benches, was deemed irreparable.
According to the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defense, the timeline of the incidents is as follows:
- Chunarughat, Habiganj: A primary school fell victim to arson just after noon on Friday.
- Gazipur (East Chandana Government Primary School): Vandals struck around 1:30 a.m., setting fire to the primary school.
- Gazipur: At approximately 3:00 a.m., TNT Adarsh High School became engulfed in flames.
- Mymensingh: At 4:30 a.m., Porshipara Primary School in the Gafargaon neighborhood was set ablaze.
- Chattogram: At 5:00 a.m., Nishinpara Primary School in Bandar neighborhood caught fire.
- Sherpur: Approximately at 6:30 a.m., Bajitkhila Primary School in Sherpur was subjected to arson.
- Gazipur (Kaliakoir neighborhood): In the morning hours, at around 8:00 a.m., Mouchak area’s Banshtali Government Primary School became a target.
- Nandail, Mymensingh: By 9:30 a.m., the unsettling wave of arson reached Haripur Primary School.
According to police sources and Bangladesh Post’s district correspondent:
In a brief period of time earlier on Saturday in Netrokona's Kendua upazila, four schools designated as polling places were the target of "arson attacks," according to police officials. The educational institutions are Durgapur Government Primary School, Baghber Government Primary School, Durchapur Government Primary School, and Dauki Government Primary School. Officer-in-charge of the Kendua Police Station, Md. Enamul Haque, quoted locals when he stated that the arson attacks started at around 1:00 a.m. Haque stated that no significant damage had been reported and that no charges or arrests had been made as of yet.
The polling center at the Garakata Government Primary School in Madhyanagar Upazila's Bangshikunda South Union in Sunamganj was set on fire in the early hours of Saturday.
A fire was set in an abandoned room of the Kandila Government Primary School in Ward-1 of the Tangail Municipality around 6 am on Saturday.
The centre at Charmohan Sureshwar Primary School in Naria Upazila's Gharisha Union of Shariatpur was set on fire on Friday night.
Fires were set at the Bagmara Government Primary School centre in Rupsha Upazila and also at the Tipna Government Primary School in Dumuria Upazila's Kharnia Union in Khulna, which was mistaken for a polling centre, on Friday night.
In Barguna, two polling stations were set on fire in Amtali Upazila at around 11 pm on Friday. Amtali Police Station chief Kazi Shakhawat Hossain Tapu said, "Locals quickly extinguished the fire. There was no damage to the two centres. After hearing the news, I visited the spot."
Sabia Government Primary School of Chandighat union in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila was set on fire by arsonists on Friday night. According to locals and eyewitnesses, four youths on two motorcycles came in front of the school gate and threw petrol bomb inside the school building. They immediately left the scene.
In Patuakhali, miscreants set fire to Sher e Bangla Girls High School, a polling center in Patuakhali Sadar upazila early Saturday. Patuakhali Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge Md Jasim confirmed the matter, adding that police are trying to identify the arsonists and legal action would be taken in this regard.
According to witnesses from the several locations, the miscreants broke the locks on the school's office room and main gate and entered at some point on Friday night. They threw the liquid, set it on fire, and escaped.
Nationwide spate of school fires raises alarms
The recurrence of such incidents raises not only immediate concerns about the safety and security of educational institutions but also broader questions about the root causes and preventive measures that need to be implemented. School fires not only result in structural damage but also disrupt the educational continuity for students, amplifying the societal repercussions of such acts.
It is crucial to note that this unsettling wave of arson in schools brings back memories of the 2014 national parliamentary election in Bangladesh, marked by heightened violence. During that period, arsonists affiliated with the BNP-Jamaat alliance set fire to more than 100 schools across 20 districts.
The use of schools as polling places during elections has long been a contentious practice, and the authorities need to reevaluate strategies to ensure the sanctity and safety of these educational institutions, especially during politically charged periods.
According to concerns, the current situation demands a comprehensive investigation, enhanced security measures for schools, and a collective effort to address the root causes that may lead to such devastating acts. The educational institutions, being the bedrock of a nation's future, must be safeguarded against any form of violence or vandalism.
Along with several fire incidents found at election campaign camps of Awami League candidates were set on fire in Gazipur-3 and Gazipur-2.
