Train in Bangladesh Allegedly Set Ablaze Before Election

Four Lives Lost in Pre-Election Incident

Four people died in a train fire in Dhaka's Gopibag area, allegedly set intentionally ahead of Bangladesh's national election scheduled for January 7, according to the Associated Press.

The Benapole Express, a passenger train, had four coaches engulfed in flames during what is claimed to be an attack designed to intimidate people and discourage them from voting in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The incident occurred as the train was en route to Dhaka railway station at 9 pm local time.

Tensions arise as the ruling Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party find themselves in conflict over the manner in which the elections are to be conducted.

As per the country's railway officials, the majority of the 292 passengers on board were returning home from India.

The party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, along with other opposition parties, has declared a boycott of the polls, accusing the incumbent Sheikh Hasina of not ensuring free and fair elections under her administration. The opposition has called for a neutral caretaker government to oversee the polling, a request denied on the grounds that there is no constitutional provision for such a measure.

In a televised address, Hasina appealed to the public to participate in the voting process, seeking a chance to rectify any mistakes. She expressed a willingness to seek forgiveness for any errors made, emphasizing the opportunity to correct them if given another chance to form the government.

A senior police official, as cited by the AP, stated that the train fire was "clearly an act of sabotage," intended to instill fear among people ahead of the election. Seven firefighting units have been swiftly deployed to the site to extinguish the blaze.

More than 100 foreign observers, including three from India, have arrived in Bangladesh to monitor the upcoming general election on January 7.