Eight people including Nabiullah Nabi, joint convener of Dhaka south unit of BNP, were arrested in connection with Friday’s arson attack on Benapole Express train in Dhaka’s Gopibagh area that left four people dead.
The other arrestees are Jubo Dal activists Mohammad Mansur Alam, Rasel, Salauddin, Kabir Hossain, Delwar, Hasan, and Iqbal Hossain Swapan.
Chief of Detective Branch (DB) of police and also Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Harun-or-Rashid, shared the information while speaking at a press briefing held at DMP media centre on Saturday.
Nabiullah along with five others were directly involved in the arson attack on the train, he said.
“Some 10-11 BNP leaders and activists joined a video conference before the arson incident where all of them planned to carry out the attack,” the DB chief said during the briefing after interrogation.
“Convener of Dhaka South Jubo Dal Khandaker Enam, Member Secretary Rabiul Islam Nayan, Joint Convener MA Gaffar, Iqbal Hossain Bablu, and Kazi Mansur were present in the video conference,” he said.
“They held the video conference to discuss plans for setting fire to Dhaka-bound trains. The objective was to draw national and international media attention,” stated Harun.
The DB chief further said, “Under the guidance of Jubo Dal leader Rabiul Islam Nayan, several groups of Jubo Dal activists from Lalbagh initiated the arson attack on Benapole Express. The person responsible for igniting the fire was one of those who attended the video conference, but for investigation purposes, we are withholding his identity at this time.”
The DB chief also said that three individuals from the video conference responded that they could execute the arson attack.
“During 2013-14, they threw bombs and set fires in different areas. Together, they orchestrated the arson attack on the train,” he said.
DB has retrieved the mobile device used for the video conference. The mobile phone belongs to Kazi Mansur. He is currently in custody, Harun said.
Harun also mentioned that those arrested will undergo remand, and further details about the arson attack will be provided later.
At least four people were killed as arsonists set fire to Benapole Express train in the capital's Gopibagh area on Friday night.
Arsonists torched four coaches of the Benapole Express train at 9:05 pm. Three coaches of the Dhaka-bound train were completely burnt.
Bangladesh Railways has formed a seven-member committee to investigate the incident. The committee has been formed following the directive from Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) to identify the reason behind the incident and fix responsibility.
PM promises to bring perpetrators to book
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the loss of lives.
The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to investigate whether the fire incident was sabotage.
She prayed for the salvation of the departed souls and directed to take immediate steps for the treatment of the injured.
Fire Service has no clue
Fire Service and Civil Defence director (operation and maintenance) Lt Col Tajul Islam Chowdhury said that initially it seems miscreants or an electric short circuit might have been the cause of the fire on the Benapole Express.
He also said the cause of the fire will be ascertained after investigation.
"The Benapole Express train left Benapole and was coming to Kamalapur Station via Padma Bridge. On the way, three bogies caught fire while crossing the Gopibagh Bank area," he added.
In response to a question, he said, "We have come to know that the fire first caught fire in three bogies and then spread to the fourth bogey."
A total of eight units had controlled the fire. He added that the death toll could rise after the rescue operation was completed.
