Train sabotage: 9 die in 2 months

A total of nine people have died in connection with the fire and sabotage on trains since October 28 last year centring the 12th national parliamentary elections slated for January 7.

In the latest incident, a Benapole Express train was set on fire in the Gopibagh area of Sayedabad in the capital on Friday (January 5) night, claiming lives of four train passengers.

Earlier, five other people were killed in separate sabotage cases on trains.

BNP and like-minded opposition parties have been observing political programmes like blockade and hartal for several months, demanding a caretaker government. During these programmes, various vehicles were set on fire in Dhaka and adjacent areas.

The government and law enforcement agencies blamed BNP and its allies for these arson incidents while BNP rejected the claim of carrying out these arson incidents as usual.