Directed the authorities concerned to investigate whether the fire incident was sabotage: PM

A committee consisting of seven members has been established by Bangladesh Railways (BR) to look into the event in which at least four people were killed after an unnamed group of miscreants set fire to a Benapole Express train in the Gopibag region of the capital on Friday.

The committee was established by the Divisional Railway Manager's (DRM) mandate to determine the cause of the incident and assign blame.

According to Siraj Ud-Dowla Khan, senior information officer of the BR ministry, the committee led by Md. Showmik Shawon Kabir, divisional signal and telecommunication engineer of the BR, has been instructed to produce a report within three working days.

Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Cell, four dead were found inside the train's destroyed carriages.


He added that it was not possible to ascertain the deceased's identities right away.

At 9:05 p.m., arsonists set fire to all four of the Benapole Express train's carriages.

Eight fire engines arrived on the scene after 9:25 p.m., according to reports, and the fire was contained by 10:20 p.m., he added.

The train headed for Dhaka had three fully charred carriages.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the loss of lives in a fire that broke out in four bogies of Benapole Express train in the capital's Gopibagh area tonight.

The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to investigate whether the fire incident was sabotage.

She prayed for the salvation of the departed souls and directed to take immediate steps for the treatment of the injured.