Driver dies after parked bus torched in Faridpur

A parked bus was set on fire in Faridpur. The driver, Kalachan Sheikh (55), who was sleeping inside the bus, died after falling sick from the smoke. The bus was completely burnt in the fire.

The incident took place at around 1:45 am on Monday night (9 November), beside the Dhaka-Barishal highway near the municipal bus terminal in Goalchamat area of Faridpur town.

The deceased Kalachan Sheikh was the son of the late Nuruddin Sheikh of Diknagar village in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj. He had worked as a bus driver for about 30 years.

According to police and bus workers' sources, the burnt bus belonged to 'Kishore-Tanmoy' Paribahan. The bus ran on the Faridpur-Madaripur regional road. Kalachan Sheikh had been driving the bus for about one and a half years. Although he lived with his family at his village home, he slept in the bus when it returned late at night. The owner of the bus is Tapan Kumar Das (50), son of the late Kartik Das of Rathkhola Sinpara area in Faridpur town.

Sribas Baroi, senior station master of Faridpur Fire Service, said they received the news of the fire at 1:55 am and rushed to the spot, where they found the bus burning fiercely. The fire was brought under control after 15 to 20 minutes of effort. The driver fell sick during this time and was rushed to hospital.

Abul Bashar, organising secretary of the Faridpur Motor Workers' Union, said Kalachan Sheikh had parked the bus beside the terminal and was sleeping inside it. When the bus was set on fire at night, one of his hands was burnt. He then got off the bus and tried to put out the fire himself. At one point he fell sick and was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Expressing anger over the incident, Abul Bashar said, "Those who play politics with people's lives cannot be human. Why do we workers have no security? Why can't the government ensure our safety? We demand justice from the government for the killing of our brother."

Confirming the incident, Azmir Hossain, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) of Faridpur, said preliminary information suggests three people came on a motorcycle and poured petrol on the bus before setting it on fire.

He said the driver Kalachan, who was sleeping inside the bus, was not burnt. He came out of the bus quickly. Later he fell sick from the smoke and was taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, where the emergency department doctor declared him dead.

Azmir Hossain added that CCTV footage from various roads in the town is being collected. Police have launched an operation to identify and arrest those involved in the incident.