Fires set on railway track and highway calling for strike, three Chhatra League leaders arrested in Sirajganj

Police have arrested three leaders of the banned Chhatra League over incidents of setting fire to a railway track and highways in the Mulibari area of Sadar upazila in Sirajganj, on the western bank of the Jamuna Bridge. A sabotage case has been filed against them. They were sent to jail through the court on Tuesday (10 November).

The arrested persons are Saddam Hossain (22), joint general secretary of Ward 15 Chhatra League of Sirajganj municipality, Ashik Hossain (39), a member of Soyadabad Union Chhatra League, and Imrul Kayes (19). Saddam is a resident of Diar Dhangora Sardarpara area of Sadar upazila. Ashik is from Soyadabad Madhyapara and Imrul from Kadda Krishnapur area.

Rakibul Hasan, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station, confirmed the arrests and the case on Tuesday afternoon.

According to police and local sources, a fire was set on the railway track in the Mulibari area of Soyadabad Union of Sadar upazila on Monday night. On the same night, fires were also set on highways at several places in the district.

A video circulating on social media shows several people chanting "Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu" while setting fire to the railway track. At the time, slogans were also raised saying "Let the countrywide strike succeed on behalf of Sadar Thana Chhatra League".

On receiving the news, railway police and Sadar police rushed to the scene and put out the fire. However, train movement was not disrupted by the incident.

Meanwhile, on the same night, several videos of fires being set on highways in the Hatikumrul intersection of Kamarkhand upazila and Ullapara area of Sirajganj, under the banner of the banned Swechchhasebak League, circulated on social media.

Khairul Islam Talukdar, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sirajganj Bazar Railway Police Station, said police quickly reached the scene after receiving the news and put out the fire. Train movement was not disrupted by the incident.

Rakibul Hasan, OC of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station, said a sabotage case has been filed against the three arrested over Monday night's incident. They were later sent to jail through the court.

Tension has arisen at Sirajganj Government College over a banner of the banned Chhatra League being hung at the main gate of the college. Over this incident, Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Shibir and general students kept the college principal, Professor Muhidul Hasan, confined in his office for about four hours.

With the three arrested being sent to jail through the court, the legal process over Monday night's sabotage incident has begun.