The damaged truck standing on Dhaka-Rangpur highway in Belail area of Bogra town comes under arson attack by miscreants early Thursday. The truck driver and a trader die in the attack. Photo: STAR

Two more commoners were killed and two others burnt after miscreants firebombed a truck in Bogra town today in continuance of the spate of mindless arson attacks.

The victims were truck driver Polash Hossain, 44, from Shailkupa upazila of Jhalakathi; and a betel-leaf trader Shahidul Islam, 38, son of Afzal Hossain from Shibganj upazila of Bogra, our correspondent reports quoting police.

These deaths raise the toll of the prevailing spell of this year’s political violence to at least 53 including at least 37 who were not involved in politics.

The betel leaf-laden, Rangpur-bound truck from Jessore was firebombed in Belail area around 4:30am, said Gaziur Rahman, assistant superintendent (media) of Bogra police.

Shahidul died on way to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital while driver Polash succumbed at the hospital seven hours of the accident, he said.

Photo: STAR

Truck helper Imran Hssain of Jhenaidah and another betel leaf trader, Mamunur Rashid, 46, who were also travelling in the truck were also burnt. Of them, Rashid was rushed to the burn unit of the hospital with 30 percent burn injuries, hospital sources said.

Just two days ago, in a show of mindless cruelty, 7 people were burnt alive in their sleep and 16 scorched in a night coach in Comilla’s Chouddagram. Later, one of the injured victims succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Police filed two cases over the incident naming BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia as instigator and the upazila’s Jamaat-e-Islami chief as prime accused for the arson.

Today is the fifth day of hartal (shutdown) sponsored by the BNP-led 20-party alliance clamped on top of their countrywide nonstop blockade which entered its 31st day this morning.

In a separate incident of arson in Natore’s Baraigram upazila, alleged activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir firebombed a truck at around 6:00am.

Photo: STAR

No one was injured in the petrol-bomb attack that took place in Ahmmedpur area, our Natore correspondent reports quoting Basudev Banik, superintendent of district police.

On notification, fire fighters rushed to the spot and doused the fire.