3 buses torched in a span of 12 minutes

Three buses were set on fire in the Kalshi area of Dhaka city, Hemayetpur in Savar, and Konabari in Gazipur tonight.

The buses were set on fire between 9:18pm and 9:30pm, Rashed Bin Khalid, duty officer at the Fire Service headquarters, confirmed the information to The Daily Star.

A bus of Moumita Paribahan was set on fire at Hemayetpur in Savar at 9:18pm today. In Mirpur's Kalshi, a similar incident took place at 9:22pm. And, the third bus was set on fire under Gazipur flyover at 9:30pm.

The Moumita bus was parked in Hemayetpur. The owner of the bus said he didn't know who set the bus on fire. However, police claimed it was leaders and activists of BNP.

Alauddin, the owner of the bus, told The Daily Star, "I went to the peace rally in Dhaka with Awami League leaders and activists in the bus. I returned in the evening and parked the bus and went home. The bus was set on fire around 9:00pm."

Dipok Chandra Saha, officer-in-charge (OC) of Savar Model Police Station, claimed, "BNP activists set the bus on fire. We are trying to arrest them."

Savar thana BNP General Secretary Golam Mostafa said, "None of our leaders and activists were involved in the torching of the bus. Awami League and police are trying to stage drama to file false cases against BNP leaders and activists by setting buses on fire."

Meanwhile, Gazipur Metropolitan Konabari Police Station OC AKM Ashraf Uddin told The Daily Star that BNP activists set fire to a bus on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Konabari.

There were reports of vehicles being torched and vandalised in different parts of Dhaka during clashes between police and BNP during the latter's grand rally in Nayapaltan.

Buses were set on fire in Arambagh and Kakrail in Dhaka.

On the other hand, a fire engine was vandalised and set on fire under Shahjahanpur flyover while it was returning after extinguishing a fire.

According to a Fire Service press release issued around 9:00pm, a total of 22 fires were reported.