A seven-year-old girl was burned to death in a deliberate arson attack on the house of a local BNP leader in Bhabaniganj of Lakshmipur Sadar upazila, turning a quiet night into a scene of horror and loss.
The incident occurred late on Friday night in the Sutargupta area of Char Mansa village in Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila, according to Md Wahid Parvez, chief of Lakshmipur Sadar Model Police Station.
Police said the attackers locked the door of the house from outside before pouring petrol around the building and setting it on fire.
According to media reports, the victim, 7-year-old Ayesha Akter, was the daughter of Belal Hossain, a fertiliser and pesticide trader at the Sutar Guptа market and joint organising secretary of the Bhabaniganj Union BNP.
Belal and his other daughters, Bithi Akter and Smriti Akter, also suffered burns.
Citing family members and local residents, Wahid said Belal, his wife and children were asleep inside the house when the attackers locked the door of the house from outside before pouring petrol around it and setting it on fire.
The fire spread rapidly within moments and Ayesha was burnt to death at the scene, he added.
Belal, Bithi and Smriti were rescued by local residents and taken to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital.
The two girls were later transferred to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors described their condition as critical. Large portions of their bodies have been burnt.
Lakshmipur Fire Service’s Ranjit Kumar Das said firefighters managed to bring the fire under control after reaching the scene, but the house had already been completely gutted.
“One child was found dead, and three people were rescued with burn injuries,” he said.
Wahid said police visited the scene shortly after the incident and had launched an investigation to determine whether this was a planned act of sabotage.
