Viral Video: At least twenty-four people were feared dead and a good number injured in a devastating arson attack in Jessore district, Bangladesh. The residential hotel is one of the local party’s offices and is owned by Shahin Chakladar, general secretary of the Jessore district unit of the Awami League. Police said after the incident it was confirmed that unidentified people set fire to the hotel in the appeal area of the district town on Monday at dawn. Deputy Commissioner Abrarul Islam after the incident told the news media the incident was that of an arson attack.
Arson Strikes Amidst Political Celebrations
The fire set off at around 4 pm, after a celebratory crowd swept through the country as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, had resigned. As jocund revelers across the city rejoiced, a handful of onlookers amidst the throng of people torched the hotel. Many victims succumbed to smoke inhalation because the fire spread quite rapidly across the building.
Prothom Alo informed that there was an Indonesian national among the injured people. The news agency also reports that several charred bodies were found in the hotel’s liquor bar on the third floor. Among several dead, two so far identified were Chayan, 20, and Sejan Hussain 19. Dr. Partho Pratim Chakraborty, Resident Medical Officer of Jessore General Hospital said that in total thirteen bodies had been received and more than 150 patients were hospitalized.
Awami League District Office and MP Homes Vandalized
The violence was not contained to the hotel alone. The attackers also set fire to the district office of the Awami League and vandalized the houses of District Awami League President Subhas Chandra Bose and Narayanganj-4 MP Shamim Osman, and many others. The scale of the attack suggests a deterioration of the restive state within the region under the political turbulence.
