Three buses set on fire in Dhaka’s Mirpur

Three parked passenger buses were set on fire at two separate locations in Dhaka's Mirpur area early Wednesday, damaging parts of all three vehicles. Preliminary estimates put the total damage at Tk 1.05 million to Tk 1.3 million. No casualties were reported, and police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with the incidents.

The fires broke out at two buses near Phulkoli intersection on Kalshi Road in Pallabi early Wednesday (November 11) and another bus on Zoo Road under Shah Ali Police Station at around 12:45am.

According to police and Fire Service sources, miscreants set fire to a parked Chiriakhana City Paribahan bus in front of Jahangir Hotel on Zoo Road. The fire damaged 14 to 16 rear seats, seat covers, windowpanes, the rear windshield and parts of the bus body. The preliminary estimated loss stands at Tk 200,000 to Tk 300,000.

Shah Ali Police Station duty officer Sub-Inspector Md Ripon said several police teams went to the scene after receiving information about the fire at around 1am.

Rashed bin Khaled, an official at the Fire Service control room, said a unit was dispatched after receiving a report at 1:19am. However, local residents had extinguished the fire before the unit arrived.

In a separate incident, two buses belonging to Bikalpa Paribahan and Abhijat Paribahan were set on fire beside the road near Phulkoli intersection in Mirpur Section 12 under Pallabi Police Station at around 6:40am on the same day.

Local residents brought the fires under control by pouring water on the vehicles. All the seats, windows and bodywork of the Bikalpa Paribahan bus were destroyed, with the damage estimated at Tk 800,000 to Tk 1 million.

The fire also damaged the rear two windowpanes, several seats and seat covers of the Abhijat Paribahan bus, causing an estimated loss of around Tk 50,000, according to relevant sources.

Pallabi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jalal Uddin said the arson attacks were believed to be aimed at spreading panic among the public.

He said police were working to identify and arrest those responsible, but no one had been detained so far.