Cocktail blasts in Dhaka, Manikganj and Bogura on eve of strike; six arrested

A series of cocktail explosions rocked Dhaka, Manikganj and Bogura on the night before a strike called by the banned Chhatra League. The blasts, from Monday evening (9 November) into the night, have spread tension across the political arena. Police have arrested at least six people in connection with the incidents.

In the capital, cocktail explosions took place at several locations from Monday evening into the night — the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court area, in front of Titumir College, Banani graveyard, Gulshan and roads in Mohakhali.

In the CMM court area, two men — Faisal and Sukumar — were caught red-handed by people present after a cocktail blast. They were later handed over to Kotwali police. A motorcycle they were using was also seized.

Mohiuddin Mahmud Sohel, deputy police commissioner of the prosecution division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), confirmed the incident.

Around 10pm, a cocktail exploded in front of the gate of Titumir College. Students caught a man red-handed at the scene. The officer-in-charge of Banani police station confirmed the incident.

Earlier, around 9pm, a cocktail exploded in front of the Banani graveyard gate from the elevated expressway road. Around 8:30pm, another blast took place on the road from Gulshan-1 towards Mohakhali, before a checkpoint. Another cocktail exploded in front of Police Plaza around 10:30pm the same day. Sub-Inspector Mohammad Rezaul Karim of Gulshan police station confirmed both incidents.

Police arrested three people while they were preparing for a procession carrying a banner of the banned Awami League. A team of Turag police conducted a raid around 10:30pm on Monday and arrested them.

Mustafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Turag police station, said police learned from a tip-off that 20 to 25 people had gathered in the area with banners, led by Md Nur Hossain, finance secretary of Turag thana Awami League, and Md Kabir Uddin, former senior vice-president of Harirampur union Awami League. Police raided the spot and arrested three people during the preparations for the procession. They are Md Kamrul Islam (21), Md Hazrat Ali (20) and Md Mithul Hasan (19). Police said legal proceedings against them are under way.

In Manikganj, at least 12 cocktail explosions took place at different places in the district from Monday evening into the night. From 6:45pm to 10:30pm, blasts occurred in front of the deputy commissioner's office, the superintendent of police's residence, the bus stand, the Jagir bridge area, Nayadingi in Saturia, the district BNP office, the former district Awami League office, the Ghior bus stand and the Paturia traffic police box.

Local people said that in several places, men arrived on motorcycles, set off the cocktails and fled quickly. Police reached the spots after receiving the news and worked to bring the situation under control. Two suspects have been taken into police custody in connection with these incidents.

Md Salauddin, additional superintendent of police of the Manikganj Sadar circle, said police and detective branch (DB) police have increased their activities and remain on alert. DB police are working to identify and arrest those involved, and the police operation to bring the culprits to justice is continuing.

BNP and its affiliated organisations took to the streets in protest against the incidents, while Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP remained inactive. BNP and affiliated organisation leaders and activists brought out a protest procession on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in the Manikganj bus stand area, chanting slogans against Chhatra League and Jubo League.

Kazi Mostak Hossain Dipu, convener of district Jubo Dal, said BNP, Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal remain on the streets, as always, to stop Awami League sabotage, and will remain so in the future. Those who try to destabilise the country will be resisted firmly, he said.

On staying off the streets, Ariful Islam, organising secretary of the district NCP, said no instruction had come from the centre. There is no scope to go beyond the centre's instructions, he said, adding that they would certainly be on the streets if instructed. Kamrul Islam, amir of district Jamaat-e-Islami, said the central organisation had given no instruction on being on the streets, but they would be there if instructed.

Meanwhile, in Garidaha area of Sherpur upazila in Bogura, an arson attack took place on the Dhaka-Bogura highway with 'Joy Bangla' slogans. The incident occurred around 7pm on Monday. Traffic was disrupted for some time.

According to local sources, a group of people suddenly gathered in the Garidaha area after evening and began picketing with 'Joy Bangla' slogans. At one point, they placed sacks and jute on a van and set it on fire. Panic spread in the surrounding area.

Police and fire service personnel reached the spot after receiving the news and brought the fire under control. No one was found at the scene, and there was no immediate report of casualties.

Bakhtiar Uddin, warehouse inspector of Sherpur Fire Service, said they received the arson report at 7:19pm and reached the spot quickly. A fire had been set on a van using sacks and jute, and it was later brought under control. Md Ekramul Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sherpur police station, said Sherpur police are patrolling regularly, but no specific information about the arson or picketing in the Garidaha area had reached them yet.

Local people believe the blasts may be linked to the countrywide general strike programme announced by the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League for Tuesday, 10 November. On 8 November, the banned organisation announced the countrywide strike for 10 November in a notice on its party letterhead.