Sunday marks the seventh anniversary of the tragic petrol bomb attack on a moving bus in Gaibandha by some BNP-Jamaat activists that killed eight people.
On February 6, 2015, the miscreants hurled a petrol bomb through the window of a Dhaka-bound bus of Napu Enterprise carrying 40 passengers near Shahapara area.
Within minutes flames spread throughout the bus leaving four people dead on the spot and 35 injured. Later four more people succumbed to their injuries under treatment at hospitals.
The others injured in the incident returned home after taking treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital but most of their lives did not become normal again with disabilities.
The families of the victims now demand only justice for the heinous act.
Then Sub-Inspector of Gaibandha police station Mahbubur Rahman filed a case against 77 people in the incident who were all BNP, Jamaat activists.
A chargesheet was also submitted against the accused but four of them including the main accused died while the trial got backlogged.
Other 73 accused in the case are currently on bail granted by the Higher Court and have become politically active again, said Public Prosecutor Saiful Islam Prince.
He however said the charges have been framed in this case by the District Judge Court.
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“Most of the passengers in that bus were low-income earners who were forced to take the risk to reach Dhaka to earn some living. long hartal and road blockades by BNP-Jammat created a crisis for them and the whole country back then,” said Syed Shamsul Alam Hiru, president of District Awami League.
Shanti Khatun, daughter of one of the victims Syed Ali, had to end her studies at sixth grade as her father, the only breadwinner for the family of six was burnt to death that day.
“We buried him in our yard without even seeing his face as the body was charred. I will continue seeking justice for my father until my death,” said Shanti Khatun.
Shilpi Das, a toddler, was one of the victims.
Her mother Shadhona Rani said, ”I did not get back my child rather got a lifeless charred body. Was it a crime getting on that bus to earn our livelihoods?”