DHAKA, AUG 9, 2023 (BSS)- Prime Minister’s advisor on ICT affairs Sajeeb Wazed Joy today lambasted BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for his utter falsehood on a recent arson attack in Dhaka carried out by BNP activists. 

Joy in a tweet mentioned about video footage on the arson attack carried out by a group of Jubo Dal activists on a passenger bus in broad daylight at suburban Ashulia area on Dhaka Aricha highway on July 29.

With this video clip on Tuesday Joy tweeted that “Mirza Fakhrul’s lies exposed by the media. …. Video footage showed perpetrators of an arson attack with several BNP leaders are seen involved in the rampage”.

But BNP’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam denied the links of BNP behind the five hour violence unfolded by BNP workers that day to enforce their sit-in programme, Joy said.

Joy noted that, the video reveals that armed BNP leaders and activists are taking part in arson attacks and damaging vehicles in broad daylight during their sits-in programme at city entry points. 

“The video contains real time footages of vandalism and attackers are seen launching a spree of attacks and setting fire on vehicles in Ashulia area on Dhaka Aricha highway,” Joy added.

At least two high profile leaders of BNP’s associate bodies including Shahidul Islma, joint general secretary and Md Suruzzaman, assistant organzing secretary of Dhaka district unit of Jubo Dal were seen putting fire on the bus. A local Chhatra Dal leader Apurba Chandra Das was present on the scene, Joy said.

The video reveals that a group of BNP activists brandishing with sticks and rods suddenly marched on the highway and attacked the vehicles plying on the streets, Joy said.

At point they blocked a bus of Bikash Paribahan, beat up the driver and helper and dragged them out of the bus. As the driver and helper fled away, one of the miscreants poured inflammable substance from a bag and set the bus on fire.

Joy added, “The video was reported by a media outlet, based on the investigation of law enforcers and testimony of Anwar Hossain, driver of the bus.

Joy pointed out that the bus driver later identified the attackers and commented that he suffered a great loss and almost died on that day as the miscreants set fire on his bus.

“I was almost dead on that day, so I’m not afraid of facing the miscreants,” the driver told, Joy said mentioning the statement of the driver.

Following filing of a case by the driver, police started an investigation and after ten days the attackers were rounded up, Joy said.

Unruly activists of BNP during their agitation also attacked the armoured police vehicles in the capital on that day which later BNP denied, Joy said.

But, newspapers filed story on the attack in which Saif Mahmud Jewel, general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, wielding in bamboo stick, was seen in the scene.