Mirpur's Beribadh bus arson: Attackers were offered Tk5,000, police say

The youths involved in setting fire to a parked bus in Mirpur's Beribadh area were each offered Tk5,000 for the attack, police said.

Speaking to The Business Standard on Friday (14 November), Assistant Commissioner of Police (Darussalam zone) Emdad Hossain said the youths were "used in exchange for money" to carry out the arson attack.

One of them later drowned in the Turag River on Thursday night while trying to escape from the scene.

The incident took place around 10pm on Thursday when a group of youths set fire to a parked bus on the embankment road near the Dhaka Zoo area and attempted to escape.

He said, "The deceased, Abdullah Al Sayad, 18, was a second-year college student. His companion, Rudro Mohammad Amir Sani, 18, an O-level student, was captured by locals while attempting to flee and later handed over to police. A third youth was also involved in the attack but managed to escape."

Emdad Hossain added, "During primary interrogation, Rudro revealed that a local Awami League leader had promised them with Tk5,000. They were hired to set fire to any vehicle in the Dhaka-14 constituency."

He also confirmed that a case has been filed naming Rudro as an accused in the incident.

According to police and eyewitnesses, on Thursday night, a Kironmala Paribahan bus parked on the Mirpur embankment was set on fire. Locals chased the youths immediately after noticing the blaze and managed to catch Rudro.

However, Sayad fled towards the embankment and jumped into the Turag River, where he drowned. His body was recovered from the river around 10:30pm.

The autopsy of Sayad was conducted at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue.

Hospital sources said his family collected the body on Friday. The family resides in the Uttara area of Dhaka.