Bangladesh minister accuses country’s main opposition party of arson after train fire kills 4

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s railway minister accused the country’s main opposition party of “arson” and “sabotage” after a fire broke out early Tuesday on a passenger train in the capital killing four people, including a mother and child.

“Now, they have targeted a safe means of transport like a train,” said Nurul Islam Sujon, accusing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, of resorting to violence and sabotage in the name of anti-government protests to thwart the national election slated for Jan.7 and “create chaos.”

Zia’s party — which is boycotting the election — issued a statement denying the accusation.

The party has been intermittently enforcing transportation blockades and general strikes demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who seeks to return to power for a fourth consecutive term.

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On Tuesday, Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense, said that they recovered four bodies after three coaches of the Mohanganj Express train caught fire. The train left the northern district of Netrokona late Monday for the Kamlapur Railway Station in Dhaka, the capital, packed with passengers.

A 32-year-old mother and her three-year-old son were among the dead, said Sikder. All four bodies were sent to the morgue of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Zia’s party called for a daylong general strike on Tuesday across the South Asian nation as part of their anti-government movement as the country has geared up for elections. On Monday, about 1900 candidates, including many independents, started campaigning in the 300 constituencies. Hasina, the current premier and head of the ruling Awami League party, is set to begin her campaign from the northeastern city of Sylhet on Wednesday.

Zia’s party has called on people to boycott the polls after its demands for a caretaker government to oversee the voting were not met. The party accused Hasina of rigging the 2018 vote and said it does not have any faith the coming election would be conducted fairly.

The boycott means voters have little choice but to reelect Hasina in the nation of 166 million. It also comes amid a monthslong crackdown on opposition politicians. Zia’s party said more than 20,000 party people have been arrested across the country since Oct. 28, when a police official was brutally killed during a massive rally, allegedly by Zia’s supporters.

The government has denied accusations of targeting the opposition but warned that any “acts of sabotage” or “attempts to create chaos” in the country would not be tolerated.

Hasina has pledged a free and fair election, and encouraged independents to contest.