9 people burnt ahead of Bangladesh opposition's fresh strike

At least nine people sustained burn injuries in a petrol bomb attack in southwestern Bangladesh before an opposition-called strike, police said on Sunday.

A police officer, who declined to be unnamed, said miscreants hurled petrol bombs at the truck in Magura district in southwestern Bangladesh, leaving nine people, including its driver and helper, injured.

The arson attack took place Saturday night hours after the 20- party opposition alliance, led by ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia, announced a fresh 72-hour nationwide strike from Sunday morning.

Five of the victims, who were badly burnt, will be sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said the officer from Magura, some 150 km southwest of Dhaka.

With the death of a driver on Saturday, who suffered burns on Thursday, 89 people have been killed and over a thousand injured in the wave of violence since January.

The opposition has launched a transport blockade across the country since Jan. 5, demanding fresh election under a non-party caretaker government system. Endi