Petrol bomb victim dies

One of the eight victims of a mindless petrol bomb attack on a running bus in Comilla on the Shab-e-Barat night died at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital early yesterday.

Sixty-year-old Ranajit Sharma, a teacher at Rangamati Government Women's College, died at the unit's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) around 3:00am, said Partha Sankar Paul, resident surgeon of the unit.

He had 45 percent of his body burnt and suffered inhalation injuries, he added.

On June 2 midnight, the Rangamati-bound Unique Paribahan bus came under petrol bomb attack near Bangladesh Jute Research Centre on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Chandina. Eight people were injured in the incident, including Ranajit.

Ranajit was rushed to the DMCH along with five others. They are still receiving treatment at the hospital.

A relative tries to comfort the wife of Ranajit Sharma, who died early yesterday at the DMCH burn unit. Ranajit was injured in an arson attack at Chandina in Comilla on June 2. Photo: Star

Of them, Anjan Kumar Dey, an adviser at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, who sat beside Ranajit in the bus, is undergoing treatment at the ICU.

Yesterday, the body of Ranajit was handed over to the family after an autopsy.

A graduate in Mathematics from Dhaka University, Ranajit taught at different colleges in the hill tracts region. He had been on leave preparatory for retirement since October last year.

On that fateful night, Ranajit was returning home in Rangamati from Dhaka. He went to the capital to complete the arrangements for getting the retirement benefits, family members said.

"His plan was to get involved in social work after his retirement. He wanted to devote himself in expanding education among the hill tracts people," said victim's brother-in-law Deb Choudhoury.

"There was no hartal or blockade on that day. Then, why did he have to face such a tragic death?" he asked.

Comilla police claimed that Jamaat-Shibir men threw two petrol bombs at the bus.

A relative tries to comfort the wife of Ranajit Sharma, who died early yesterday at the DMCH burn unit. Ranajit was injured in an arson attack at Chandina in Comilla on June 2. Photo: Star

Mohiuddin Mia, inspector (Investigation) of Chandina Police Station, told The Daily Star that they so far arrested nine Jamaat-Shibir men in connection with the arson attack.

Abdur Razzak, one of arrestees, gave confessional statement before a Comilla court.