Manikganj Correspondent

 Panic spread across Manikganj following a series of at least 12 crude bomb explosions on Monday night, culminating in an arson attack on a parked minibus along the Dhaka-Aricha highway early Tuesday.

Police have detained 10 individuals in connection with the explosions and arson, which local residents believe were intended to instigate panic ahead of a nationwide strike called for November 10 by the banned organization Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

According to eyewitnesses and local sources, the explosions occurred between 6:45 pm and 11:30 pm on Monday at key points across the district, including in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, the Superintendent of Police’s residence, Manikganj Bus Stand, the Jagir Bridge area, Nayadinghi in Saturia, the district BNP office, the former district Awami League office, Gheor Bus Stand, and the Paturia traffic police box.

Eyewitnesses reported that miscreants operating on motorcycles detonated the crude bombs in several locations before fleeing rapidly. Later, at approximately 12:30 am on Tuesday, unidentified individuals set fire to a parked minibus at the Manikganj Bus Stand area on the Dhaka-Aricha highway, leaving the vehicle completely destroyed. A unit of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, supported by local police, brought the blaze under control, and no casualties were reported.

Following the explosions, leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its associate bodies gathered in the Manikganj Bus Stand area, bringing out a protest procession on the Dhaka-Aricha highway against the BCL and Jubo League.

Manikganj District Jubo League Convener Kazi Mostaq Hossain Dipu stated that BNP, Jubo League, and Chatradal remain on high alert to resist any attempts to destabilize the district.

SP Mohammad Sarwar Alam confirmed that additional police and Detective Branch (DB) personnel have been deployed across strategic locations.