Bangladesh: Five Dead After Fire Engulfs Intercity Train In Gopibagh Amid Pre-Election Unrest

A fire engulfed the Benapole Express train in Gopibagh, Dhaka, killing five people; by 10:20 pm, emergency responders had successfully extinguished the flames.

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Five people died when a passenger train caught fire in Bangladesh on Friday, news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. The authorities are suspecting an arson attack amidst political unrest leading up to the boycotted national elections, the report said. 

According to Fire Service and Civil Defence duty officer Rakjibul Hasan, the blaze engulfed at least four coaches of the Benapole Express near the Gopibagh area of Dhaka, close to the city's primary rail terminal, it said. 

"We have recovered five bodies," stated police commander Khandaker Al Moin during a media briefing, as investigations into the incident continue, as reported by AFP. 

As per the report, eyewitnesses recounted the harrowing scene, revealing that the fire rapidly consumed the train, prompting a swift response from nearby residents and emergency services. A rescuer interviewed by private broadcaster Somoy TV described the frantic efforts to evacuate passengers from the burning coaches, stating, "We rescued many. But the fire spread quickly".

In a concerning development, reports indicated that among the passengers were Indian citizens, although further details remain unclear. Police chief Anwar Hossain expressed suspicions that the fire may have been an act of "sabotage", echoing previous incidents of train fires linked to political unrest. 

"We suspect the fire incident was an act of sabotage," police chief Anwar Hossain told the news agency AFP, without giving more details.

Notably, last month, authorities had attributed another fatal train fire to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), an opposition group. However, the BNP has vehemently denied any involvement, alleging that such accusations serve as a pretext for the government's crackdown on dissenting voices.

As Bangladesh prepares for national elections scheduled for Sunday, tensions have escalated, with the BNP and several other parties opting to boycott what they perceive as a "sham" electoral process. The government's actions, including the arrest of numerous opposition activists, have further strained relations, raising concerns about the stability and fairness of the upcoming polls.