Buses torched, cocktails explode one after another across Dhaka in a single day

Fear spread across the capital as buses were set on fire and cocktails exploded one after another in Dhaka, Gazipur and Manikganj throughout Monday, day and night. No major casualties have been reported so far, though one pedestrian was injured at Chankharpul.

At around 6:30pm on Monday, a bus of Lovely Paribahan was set on fire under the metro rail station at Farmgate in the capital. At the time, neither the driver, the helper nor any passenger was on the bus. No one was hurt.

Ibne Mizan, deputy commissioner of the Tejgaon division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said it could not be confirmed immediately how the bus was set on fire. Efforts are under way to identify those involved by examining CCTV footage.

After dusk, another bus was set on fire in Mirpur. In Gazipur's Kaliakoir upazila, two abandoned buses parked at Chandra Trimor were torched on Monday. Shahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kaliakoir police station, confirmed the information.

At around 6:45pm, a rickshaw-van was set on fire on Postagola Bridge.

Meanwhile, cocktails exploded in different parts of the capital from morning till night on Monday. At around 6:15am, a cocktail exploded at G-block in Banasree.

Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Khilgaon police station, said two people — Shrabon Sardar and Robin — were arrested on charges of involvement in the incident. A case has been filed against them.

At around 6am, a cocktail was thrown from the flyover at Amtoli in Mohakhali. Salahuddin, officer-in-charge of Banani police station, said two young men on a motorcycle threw the cocktail from the flyover. It exploded, but no one was hurt.

In the evening, a cocktail exploded in front of the gate of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court. Two people were detained from the spot along with a motorcycle. They are Md Faisal and Sukumar Halder. An unexploded cocktail was also recovered from them.

At around 6:40pm, another cocktail exploded in the TSC area of Dhaka University. Two people were detained and handed over to police by Chhatra Dal activists. They are Jabir Salehin Dipu and Abdullah Al Jobayer.

Dhaka University Proctor Professor Dr Israfil Ratan said cocktail-like objects were found in the bag of one of the detained men. However, they contained no serious explosive material.

In the evening, a cocktail also exploded in front of the main gate of Government Bangla College in Mirpur. Miscreants set fire to several shops beside the gate at the time. Earlier, at around 11:45pm on Sunday, a cocktail exploded in the Southeast University area of the Tejgaon industrial zone.

In a second wave at night, a cocktail exploded at around 11:42pm on Monday beside the window of room 137 of Ahsanullah Hall at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). The window glass shattered and scattered inside the room. Pieces of glass and cocktail powder fell on the bed, terrifying the students.

Akib, a student of BUET's Chemical Engineering department, said three cocktails had been thrown at the hall. One of them exploded. The other two were found unexploded. Police later recovered them. He was not in room 137 at the time and escaped unhurt. BUET administration officials were also present at the spot.

Shortly afterwards, at around 12:30am on Tuesday, a cocktail exploded in front of the Dhaka Medical branch of Janata Bank at Chankharpul. Miscreants on a motorcycle threw the cocktail and fled quickly. A pedestrian was injured in the blast.

Siam Ahmed, a student of Dhaka University, said the explosion took place at Chankharpul, behind Shahidullah Hall. He claimed it happened right in front of a police vehicle.

Meanwhile, miscreants also hurled a cocktail targeting the Banani police outpost. At around 11:30pm on Monday, they threw the cocktail at the outpost from a motorcycle, causing an explosion, and fled quickly. A duty officer of Banani police station confirmed the information.

Earlier, at around 8:30pm, a cocktail exploded in front of the BRTA gate in Mirpur's area 13. Mohammad Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Kafrul police station, confirmed it. Then, at around 8:45pm, another cocktail exploded at Technical Mor. Dulal, officer-in-charge of Darus Salam police station, said no one was hurt.

Cocktails also exploded in front of Uttara University, World University and Milestone School and College in the capital. An explosion was also reported in front of Bangladesh University in Adabor. At midnight, miscreants threw a cocktail from the Mugda overbridge. At the same time, cocktails exploded near Hotel Intercontinental and in the Phul Potti area of Bhasantek police station.

On Monday night, two cocktails exploded in front of the Manikganj deputy commissioner's office and two more in the bus stand area. Manikganj Sadar police station officer-in-charge Md Monir Hossain confirmed the matter. The same evening, two cocktails were thrown and exploded within ten minutes of each other in South Keraniganj. The series of blasts has spread fear across the city. Police have detained several suspects in connection with the incidents.