BNP-Jamaat terrors have become desperate in carrying out of sabotages across the country ahead of the upcoming general election scheduled to be held on January 7, 2024.
Now they took attempt of collapsing the country’s railway networks alongside arson attacks to various other vehicles and establishments.
According to sources, the BNP-Jamaat cadres set a commuter train on fire in Tangail and torched at least 10 other vehicles at different places across the country in last two days during their 48-hour blockade programme on the fifth phase.
They also set around 100 other vehicles on fire and damages many others during their various programmes from October 28.
In the circumstance, authorities concerned said they have intensified vigilance to keep the country’s vital mass transport system, including the railway, safe from miscreants.
It should be recalled that rail communications across the country had seriously been affected by the BNP-Jamaat anarchists during the period from 2013 to 2015.
Sources concerned said, cadres of BNP and its ultra-radical ally Jamaat caders have been planning to resume deadly attacks targeting railways and other also various key-point installations like in the past.
Considering the apprehension of subversive acts targeting the railway networks, authorities concerned have taken various security measures to check destructive activities in the name of political programmes.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, Mohammed Mofizur Rahman, an Additional Director General (Infrastructures) of Bangladesh Railway, said, “We already have instructed all concerned to intensify vigilance to keep the railway service safer.”
“The anarchists are more cunning than we think”, he said adding that “Our security forces, including railway police, are on alert to check any such incident.”
Mofizur Rahman claimed a safety plan has already been given to all concern.
Md Anowar Hossain, Superintendent of Dhaka District Railway Police also said, not only railway police, uniformed police force, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police in plain clothes have been deployed at all the railway stations for safeguarding the passengers and train services.
According to the authorities a multi-layered security measures have been set up in Kamalapur Railway Station.
Meanwhile, a three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the train fire incident at Gharinda Railway Station in Tangail Sadar upazila early Thursday.
The railway authority formed the committee on Thursday.
According to sources, BNP-Jamaat cadres set the commuter train on fire when it remained standing at Gharinda railway station. Two compartments of the train were completely burnt and another was partially damaged.
Meanwhile, BNP-Jamaat activists had also made another arson attack on Panchagarh Express, which was also remained standing near the commuter train.
“But the fire could not damage the train”, said Station Master Tariqul Islam.
Tangail SP Sarkar Mohammad Qaiser said that it was believed that the commuter train was set on fire as part of a sabotage.
Police was working on it, said the SP.
During the deadly BNP-Jamaat anarchies in 2013 and 2014, rail communications across the country was seriously been affected during their political programs like shutdowns and blockades.
At least 100 passengers were injured as six compartments of a train was derailed near Burichang Rail Station in Cumilla as BNP-Jamaat activists had removed fish plates from the track.
The rail link of Dhaka with Chittagong and Sylhet was also halted as BNP-Jamaat caders set fire to fish plates at Pahartali area in Chittagong.
Rail link of Rajshahi with Dhaka and Khulna were also temporarily suspended because of the derailment of Dhumketu Express.
An engine and five compartments of the train was derailed as BNP-Jamaat supporters removed fish plates from the railway tracks at Charghat in Rajshahi.
BNP-Jamaat cadres had torched two compartments of a train at Noldanga station of Natore district.
The opposition activists set fire to two compartments of Rajshahi-bound ‘Uttara Express’ leaving several people injured.
In capital Dhaka, Juba Dal cadres blocked rail line at Karwanbazar setting fire to slippers.
