This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-31104161
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh petrol bomb attack leaves seven dead | Bangladesh petrol bomb attack leaves seven dead |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| At least seven people have been burned to death and 15 others injured, some seriously, in a petrol bomb attack on a bus in eastern Bangladesh. | At least seven people have been burned to death and 15 others injured, some seriously, in a petrol bomb attack on a bus in eastern Bangladesh. |
| Police said the bus had been full of sleeping passengers when it was attacked near the town of Chauddagram. | Police said the bus had been full of sleeping passengers when it was attacked near the town of Chauddagram. |
| It is the latest in a spate of attacks on buses, lorries and cars since anti-government protests began last month. | It is the latest in a spate of attacks on buses, lorries and cars since anti-government protests began last month. |
| Opposition leader Khaleda Zia called for the protests on the anniversary of last year's disputed election. | |
| However, she has denied that her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Islamist allies are behind the firebombings. | However, she has denied that her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Islamist allies are behind the firebombings. |
| "Seven passengers were burnt to death in the bus after the petrol bomb was thrown at 04:00 [20:00 GMT Monday]," district police chief Tuttul Chakrabarty told AFP news agency. | |
| "Five of the passengers are fighting for their life. They have been shifted to a hospital in the capital." | "Five of the passengers are fighting for their life. They have been shifted to a hospital in the capital." |
| Police officials said authorities had raided nearby villages but no arrests had been made. | Police officials said authorities had raided nearby villages but no arrests had been made. |
| Last month, Ms Zia urged her supporters to enforce a nationwide blockade of roads, railways and waterways to try to force Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to call fresh elections. | Last month, Ms Zia urged her supporters to enforce a nationwide blockade of roads, railways and waterways to try to force Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to call fresh elections. |
| Bangladesh has arrested more than 7,000 opposition activists since the protests began. | Bangladesh has arrested more than 7,000 opposition activists since the protests began. |
| Ms Hasina has denounced the opposition as militants and accused activists of engaging in terrorism rather than politics. | Ms Hasina has denounced the opposition as militants and accused activists of engaging in terrorism rather than politics. |
| Ms Zia was put under house arrest at the start of the protests, but has since been released. | Ms Zia was put under house arrest at the start of the protests, but has since been released. |
| The BNP and other opposition parties boycotted last year's election, saying it would be rigged. | |
| They were angry that Sheikh Hasina, who has been in power since 2009, refused to stand aside to make way for a neutral caretaker administration to oversee the vote. |