Eight People burnt to Death in Two Bangladesh Bombings

Eight people, including two children, were burnt to death Friday night in two separate petrol bomb incidents, while 31 people sustained burn injuries, amid a continuing countrywide blockade enforced by the opposition alliance in Bangladesh, police said Saturday.

One of the incidents took place at 11 p.m. Friday at northern Gaibandha, where a Dhaka-bound passenger bus carrying around 50 passengers was petrol bombed allegedly by the pickets of the ongoing blockade, Xinhua news agency reported.

Five people, including two children, were bunt to death on the spot, fire service officials said. Seventeen of the injured victims were rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital and the rest were admitted to Gaibandha hospital.

Another petrol bombing took place on a truck at Gaurnadi sub-district of southern Barisal district at midnight Friday, in which all three truck employees, including the driver, died on the spot. Former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s opposition alliance has announced the non-stop blockade across the country from early January, demanding fresh elections under a non-party caretaker government system. The indefinite blockade and series of work stoppage, which entered the 33rd day Saturday, has left 63 people dead. (IANS)