Cocktail blasts, arson in capital and districts throughout night

On the night before the verdict in the crimes against humanity case against Sheikh Hasina and two others, the capital and several districts witnessed fresh incidents of cocktail explosions and arson. Security forces strengthened their presence at key points in the capital, and the road from Doel Chattar towards the Shikkha Bhaban has been closed.

At around 9pm on Sunday, November 16, a helmeted man arrived on a motorcycle and threw two cocktails at the home of environment adviser Rizwana Hasan on Central Road before fleeing — a scene captured on CCTV. Police and the bomb disposal squad arrived at the spot after receiving information. The adviser was at home, but no injuries occurred.

Md Jahangir Kabir, senior assistant commissioner of DMP New Market Zone, said CCTV footage was being collected to identify the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, a cocktail explosion occurred in front of the NCP office at Rupayan Tower in Banglamotor. The miscreants fled when chased by locals. Similar incidents caused panic at the T&T bus stand in Motijheel, at the Saarc Fountain in Karwan Bazar and at the Farmgate rail crossing. After cocktails were thrown at a moving train in Farmgate, locals caught a suspect and handed him over to police.

A stationary bus in Middle Badda was set on fire. Two abandoned legunas stored at a dumping site in South Keraniganj were also torched.

Similar acts took place outside Dhaka. In Kishoreganj, a man set fire to the ground floor of a Grameen Bank branch on Station Road before fleeing, though locals quickly extinguished the flames. In Pakundia, motorcyclists felled trees to block the road. In Tongi, Gazipur, miscreants hurled cocktails onto the road from atop the BRT flyover. In Dhamrai’s Dhulivita area, motorcyclists set fire to a bus.

Three consecutive cocktail explosions injured two rickshaw pullers at the Manikganj bus stand area. Around 10pm, two explosions occurred in front of the “Adommo 71” Shaheed Memorial, followed by another in front of the municipal super market.

Meanwhile, the verdict in the crimes against humanity case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two others is scheduled to be announced today Monday, November 17, at 11am by the three-member panel of Tribunal-1 headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mojumdar.

Security has been tightened around the tribunal area and key points in the capital. The Doel Chattar–Shikkha Bhaban road remains closed. DMP commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali has instructed officers to open fire on sight to prevent sabotage. He said, “Setting buses on fire, throwing cocktails or attacking police — in such cases, instructions have been given to fire according to the law.”