Nearly 100 vehicles were set on fire, many near police outposts or big deployments, during the recent strikes and blockades enforced by opposition parties, according to police sources and witnesses.

Police on Monday announced rewards for catching arsonists and asked transport workers to remain vigilant, while petrol pump owners were asked to be more careful about selling petrol in open containers or bottles.

‘If anyone can detain an arsonist with proof, we will give them a reward of Tk 20,000,’ Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman announced while talking to petrol pump owners at DMP headquarters.

The announcement came amid continued incidents of arson attacks on transport, which created fear among people.

The DMP chief said that they would be vigilant to see if any petrol pump was selling fuel oils in containers or bottles that violated their instructions.

According to police headquarters and Fire Service headquarters data, at least 96 vehicles were set on fire in the recent violence during countrywide hartal and blockades.

Fire Service headquarters data shows that 90 vehicles, mostly public buses, have been torched in the capital and other parts of the country during the opposition parties’ hartal and blockade since October 29.

A bus driver sustained burn injuries while a group of youths torched a bus in the capital’s Badda area on Sunday.

Earlier, 22-year-old bus helper Nayeem was burned to death as a bus was set on fire at Derma in the capital a week ago.

At least 27 buses, two trucks, one private car, one CNG-run auto-rickshaw, and a leguna have been torched since Saturday evening, said fire service media officer Talha bin Zasim.

He said that 16 of the torching incidents took place in Dhaka, and the rest occurred in districts, including Gazipur, Narayanganj, Bhola, Chattogram, Khulna, Sylhet, and Khagrachari districts.

In many incidents, public buses were set on fire close to police boxes or police deployments.

Unidentified people torched a bus near a police box at Banglamotor on Sunday evening.

The bus was set on fire at about 6:30pm after passengers were asked to leave the bus, said witnesses.

No casualties were reported immediately.

On Monday morning, miscreants set fire to a bus parked near the traffic police box of Chatri Choumhani Bazaar in Anwara upazila in Chattogram, the Fire Service said.

Unidentified people set fire to a bus near the National Press Club on October 31, despite heavy police deployment in nearby places.

Unidentified people set a bus on fire near Kafrul police station on November 1. Similar incidents were reported at Meradia, near Rampura police station, on November 5, and near South Keraniganj police station on October 31.

Contacted, police headquarters deputy inspector general for operations Anwar Hossain told New Age that in most of the cases, arsonists target parked vehicles or ride into a bus as passengers, sit at the rear part, and set fire by pouring petrol.

Asked about fire incidents near police outposts or deployments, DIG Anwar said that they have beefed up security at all places.

DIG Anwar said that the police forces had been asked to check buses, mostly rear parts.

Meanwhile, police have been deployed at major crossings in the capital.

Policemen were seen checking buses by stopping them and recording video of the passengers at different crossings.

A senior police officer said that vehicles are mostly being set on fire at dawn, evening, and night.

A police sub-inspector posted at the Banglamotor crossing said that they were instructed to check buses that had fewer passengers.

‘We are checking passengers, recording videos, and checking them if anyone appears suspicious,’ said the police officer.

Many people have been avoiding public buses amid repeated arson attacks.

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of police arrested a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader and his accomplices on the allegation of setting fire to a bus in the capital’s Mugda on November 1 during the blockade.

Amir Hossain Rocky, 25, joint convener of Sutrapur Thana Chhatra Dal, and Shakib alias Arohan, 21, were arrested in a raid in Keraniganj on Sunday, CTTC Chief Md Asaduzzaman said at a press conference in Dhaka on Monday.

During the arrest, two bottles of petrol and a motorcycle were seized from them.

Asaduzzaman claimed that the arsonists used to get Tk 3,000 for setting fire to each bus.