Fires hit BNP offices and train in Rajshahi and Khulna

A series of fire incidents has struck Rajshahi and Khulna. A BNP office was set on fire in Rajshahi, while in Khulna, within about 20 hours, a cocktail was thrown, a BNP office banner was set on fire, and a bogie of a train standing at the station caught fire.

In Tanore upazila of Rajshahi, miscreants set fire to an office of the BNP and its affiliated and associate organisations. The furniture inside the office was burned.

The incident took place in Azizpur village, Ward 9 of Kalma union in the upazila, early on Tuesday (November 10). Fire service personnel rushed to the spot after receiving the news and put out the fire.

The BNP office had been opened in a shop room in a one-storey building. Unidentified persons set it on fire under cover of darkness.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Naima Khan visited the scene in the morning after receiving the news.

Motaleb Hossain, member secretary of the upazila Chhatra Dal, said the banned Awami League is trying to create chaos across the country. He alleged that they burned down the office.

Mahmudul Hasan, officer-in-charge of Tanore police station, said miscreants set the fire late at night. The furniture inside the office was burned. "We have inspected the scene. The matter is being investigated. Legal action will be taken in this regard," he said.

Meanwhile, three incidents took place in Khulna within about 20 hours. A cocktail was thrown, a BNP office banner was set on fire, and a bogie of a train standing at the station caught fire.

No one was hurt in these incidents.

Amid these incidents, Information and Broadcasting State Minister Yaser Khan Chowdhury told journalists at the Secretariat on Tuesday that all political activities of the banned Awami League, along with any publicity of its activities on any platform, are completely prohibited.

He also said police and security forces, along with the general public, remain fully alert to maintain public safety, and operations to identify and arrest those involved are ongoing.

Police said the Rajshahi incident is under investigation and legal action will be taken.