The Foreign Ministry today said the recent act of sabotage and arson attacks on railway during BNP-Jamaat called blockade is a direct attack on the state and its people, aiming to disrupt the upcoming election and the nation's progress.
 
"The actions of the BNP-Jamaat coalition extend beyond political turmoil; they have caused physical harm to citizens and extensive damage to government property," it said in a post on its verified facebook page.  
As the election draws near, the foreign ministry said, the government and people of Bangladesh stand firmly against terrorism and such acts of violence. 
 
It said Bangladesh government and its people are determined to uphold peace and continue the country's socio-economic development, despite these challenges. 
 
The post reads as below - 
 
Bangladesh enters a festive winter of a highly participated and richly contested national election scheduled for January 7, 2024, the nation witnesses escalating attempts by a vested faction to derail the democratic processes in Bangladesh. 
 
After failing to gain popular and political support, a faction of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and their allies have intensified their efforts to enforce a blockade, aiming to creating significant impediments to the upcoming election. 
 
This strategic move by the BNP has led to a disturbing increase in vandalism and arson attacks across the country. 
 
Their supporters have engaged in these destructive acts to instill panic and exert undue pressure on the government to concede to their controversial demands.
 
A glaring example of this violence occurred on December 13, 2023, when BNP-Jamaat activists deliberately removed a 20-foot section of railway track. 
 
This act of sabotage resulted in a tragic train derailment near Bankharia, involving the Dhaka-bound Mohanganj Express. 
 
The accident, occurring around 4:00 am, led to the death of one person and injured over 50 passengers.  
This incident, a direct consequence of the 36-hour blockade called by the BNP, exemplifies the dangerous lengths to which these groups will go to disrupt national stability.
 
Again, on December 19th, at least four passengers, including a woman and her three-year-old son, were killed as saboteurs set three coaches of Mohanganj Express on fire near Tejgaon Railway Station area of Dhaka.
 
The actions of the BNP-Jamaat coalition extend beyond political turmoil; they have caused physical harm to citizens and extensive damage to government property. The police and district administration officials have uncovered evidence linking these groups to the incident, including gas cylinders used to sever the rail track.
 
This pattern of targeted attacks on trains is not new. The BNP-Jamaat alliance previously engaged in similar violent activities between 2013 and 2015, including the torching of nearly 4,000 vehicles and multiple railway fires. The recent resurgence of such tactics indicates a return to these destructive methods.
 
Since October 28, 2023, the BNP's antigovernment rallies have led to the burning of almost 400 vehicles nationwide. 
 
Their strategy of calling for hartals and blockades ahead of the election is a troubling repetition of past actions. 
 
In their pursuit of political objectives, the BNP-Jamaat coalition has not only caused physical harm and property damage but also attacked essential services, including a police hospital and ambulances.
 
This raises a critical question: Are the actions of the BNP-Jamaat coalition a legitimate form of political expression, or do they constitute a severe violation of human rights and public safety? 
In the latest incident involving the Mohanganj Express, the local administration, police, and fire departments responded swiftly to the derailment caused by the removed rail tracks. 
 
Two suspects have been apprehended, linked to the sabotage. Investigations suggest that this act was premeditated, with meetings held to plan this deadly act. 
 This sabotage is a direct attack on the state and its people, aiming to disrupt the upcoming election and the nation's progress.
 
As the election draws near, the government and people of Bangladesh stand firmly against terrorism and such acts of violence. They are determined to uphold peace and continue the country's socio-economic development, despite these challenges.