Protesters in Bangladesh set a train on fire, resulting in the deaths of four people, including a mother and child, during a countrywide strike called by the opposition. The strike aims to pressure the government to resign ahead of the upcoming general elections. This incident marks the latest violence triggered by anti-government protests, where dozens of buses and vehicles have been set on fire, leading to at least six deaths since October 28.
Fire service official Shahjahan Shikder reported that supporters of the strike set fire to three compartments of an express train. Among the casualties were a 32-year-old woman and her three-year-old son. It remains unclear how many passengers were aboard the train traveling from Netrokona to the capital, Dhaka, when the incident occurred.
In addition to setting trains on fire, protesters have removed parts of the railway line at various locations, according to Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan. The minister acknowledged the difficulty of providing adequate security along the extensive railway line and pledged to deploy 2,700 paramilitary troops within a few days to prevent such activities.
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), whose top leaders are either in jail or in exile, is calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation to pave the way for a neutral government overseeing the January 7 polls, which they have boycotted. Hasina, seeking her fourth consecutive term, has rejected calls to step down, attributing recent deadly protests to the BNP.
A BNP leader called for a judicial inquiry into the train fire, describing it as “sabotage” carried out with the help of “illegal and anti-people forces.” Bangladesh’s election panel has decided to deploy the army from December 29 to deter potential violence during the elections.
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