Bangladesh Faces Surge in Violence with Over 100 Bomb Explosions
Escalating Violence in Bangladesh
A file image shows a bus set on fire following crude bomb blasts in Bangladesh
(Photo: @Vikspeaks1/X)
Dhaka, Nov 11: A new wave of violence has erupted in Bangladesh, characterized by over 100 crude bomb detonations, vehicle arson incidents, and violent protests across various districts, resulting in one fatality, as reported by local news outlets on Wednesday.
Police officials indicated that more than 100 explosions took place near the Padma Bridge toll plaza in Shariatpur district during an overnight blockade.
The blasts disrupted toll collection and incited panic in the vicinity, with numerous vehicles reported damaged during the chaos.
In a tragic event in Faridpur district on Tuesday, a 55-year-old bus driver named Md Kalachan Sheikh lost his life when unidentified attackers set a parked bus on fire while he was asleep inside.
Kalachan was unable to escape the burning vehicle and succumbed to smoke inhalation, as detailed by the Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune.
Mahmudul Hasan, Officer-in-Charge of Faridpur Kotwali Police Station, confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation is currently underway.
As violence escalated across multiple districts, including Dhaka, Shariatpur, Gopalganj, Chittagong, and Manikganj, at least eight vehicles were set ablaze between early Tuesday and the evening.
According to police records, 22 vehicles were torched nationwide within the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday morning.
This surge in violence follows a series of attacks on public transport, police stations, educational institutions, and government buildings over the past few days, prompting authorities to enhance security measures and ramp up intelligence operations throughout the nation.
On Monday, a series of crude bomb explosions and bus arson incidents shook Dhaka, targeting educational institutions, court premises, and busy transport hubs, raising alarms about public safety in the capital, as reported by local media.
In one incident, assailants set a bus on fire beneath the Farmgate metro rail station on Monday evening, leading to increased security in the area.
Moniruzzaman, Officer-in-Charge of Tejgaon Police Station, stated that police responded promptly to the incident and are working to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, according to the Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune.
The violence extended to additional areas in Dhaka, with crude bombs detonating near the Teacher-Student Centre of Dhaka University and outside the District Judge Court, where suspects were detained in connection with the attacks.
Government Bangla College in Mirpur was also targeted, with a crude bomb exploding at its main entrance on Monday evening, resulting in several nearby shops being set ablaze.
In further acts of arson, a bus was set on fire in the Pallabi area of the capital, while a van carrying gas cylinders was torched on Postogola Bridge in South Keraniganj. Additional explosions were reported in Shyampur and near Shanto-Mariam University, World University, and Southeast University.
These violent incidents followed a tumultuous Sunday marked by a series of explosions at Dhaka University, police facilities, and other locations throughout the capital, alongside multiple bus arson attacks in the city and its outskirts.