• Source:JND

A seven-year-old girl was killed and three members of her family sustained critical burn injuries after the house of a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader was allegedly locked from the outside and set on fire during ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, police said on Saturday.

According to The Daily Star The incident occurred in the early hours at West Char Mansa village under Bhabaniganj Union in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila. The victim has been identified as Ayesha Akhtar, daughter of BNP leader Belal Hossain.

Petrol Allegedly Used, Doors Locked From Outside

According to police and family members, miscreants allegedly poured petrol on the tin-roofed house and set it ablaze while the family was asleep. Both doors were reportedly locked from the outside, trapping those inside.

Belal Hossain, a businessman and assistant organising secretary of Bhabaniganj Union BNP, sustained severe burn injuries along with his daughters, Salma Akhtar (16) and Samiya Akhtar (14). Belal is being treated at LakshmipurSadar Hospital, while the two teenage girls have been referred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka due to their critical condition.

Doctors told The Daily Star that both girls have sustained burn injuries on nearly 50 to 60 per cent of their bodies.

Family Recounts Night Of Horror

Belal’s mother, Hazera Begum, told The Daily Star that the family had gone to bed after dinner when the fire broke out around 1 am. “I woke up and saw my son’s house on fire. I ran outside screaming but found both doors locked from the outside. I could not enter,” she said. Belal later managed to break open the door and escape. His wife, Nazma, also fled the burning house with their infant son and another child.

However, the three daughters were sleeping in a separate room. While two of them were rescued with serious burn injuries, Ayesha was burnt to death inside the house, Hazera said.

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Officer-in-Charge of Lakshmipur Sadar Model Thana Md Wahid Parvez said police have begun an investigation to identify those involved and ascertain the motive behind the attack. “We are investigating who committed this act and why,” he told The Daily Star. Fire service officials confirmed that the blaze was brought under control after firefighters reached the spot, though the house was largely gutted.

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The incident comes amid a wave of violence across Bangladesh following protests linked to the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Media houses, political offices, and residences have come under attack in several districts. BNP leaders have condemned the arson attack and demanded a fair investigation, warning that the deteriorating law and order situation could worsen as the country heads toward general elections scheduled for February 2026.


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