Staff Reporter:
The police have enhanced nationwide dragnet on saboteurs who are out to create anarchy by setting fire on vehicles and exploding crude bombs to destabilize the country.
As part of the police manhunt, a local Awami Leagu (AL) leader Md. Anwar Hossain was arrested for his alleged involvement in setting fire on a bus in Mymensingh that led to death of its driver after scruti-nizing the video footages of the place of occurrence, police said.
A bus belonging to Alam Asia Paribahan was set ablaze in the early hours of Tuesday in Valukjan area of Fulbaria Upazila, Mymensingh, resulting in the death of its driver, Julhas Mia, 35.
The incident occurred around 3:15am while the driver was inside the vehicle, which was completely gut-ted by the fire.
Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has also arrested 44 more leaders and ac-tivists of the AL and its affiliated organizations in separate drives across the capital in the last 24 hours.
DB officials said the arrests were made from different areas of Dhaka on charges of involvement in sub-versive and anti-state activities aimed at disrupting law and order.
Deputy Commissioner of DMP Muhammad Talebur Rahman confirmed their arrests.
The drives were conducted based on specific intelligence information, and further drives are underway to apprehend others linked to the banned political organization and its front bodies.
Law enforcement agencies have tightened surveillance in different parts of the city to prevent any unrest and to ensure public safety.
A string of arson attacks hit several areas across Bangladesh yesterday. In Dhaka’s Mirpur, three dis-guised passengers set fire to a Shatabdi Paribahan bus, while another Alif Paribahan bus was torched in Ashulia – the attackers firing blank shots before fleeing. No casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, in Gazipur, two unexploded petrol bombs were recovered from the Nisarga Resort owned by the Grameen Telecom Trust.
A separate incident in Kishoreganj’s Bajitpur saw miscreants igniting a Tisha Paribahan bus seat before fleeing.
Earlier on Monday and Tuesday, several buses and a private car were torched at different parts of the capital city.
Authorities have tightened security nationwide and launched investigations into the coordinated attacks.
Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir ALam Chowdhury on Tuesday said that law en-forcement agencies are taking a firm stance against the anarchy.
Authorities have urged citizens to remain calm and cooperate with law enforcement personnel, assuring that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure safety and normalcy in public life.
