At least 18 people died after mobs set fire to five-star Zabeer International Hotel, owned by Shahin Chakladar, General Secretary of Jashore District Awami League and Member of Parliament on Monday night.

The blaze broke out around 11:30 PM, according to A M Mamun, Assistant Director of Jashore Fire Service.

The Zabeer International Hotel, along with Chakladar's house, office, and press, were set on fire by the mob. Initially, no rescue operations could be carried out at the hotel. About an hour later, an Air Force helicopter rescued several trapped individuals. As the fire was partially brought under control, bodies began to be recovered from various floors of the 14-story hotel. Over 50 people were injured in the incident.

Around 3:45 PM, students and citizens held a victory march in Jashore, during which an enraged segment of the crowd began vandalising the Zabeer International Hotel at Chitra Mor. At 4:15 PM, they set the hotel on fire.

Fire service personnel arrived to extinguish the blaze, and some trapped individuals signaled for help from the 14th-floor balcony. A rescue helicopter attempted to land on the roof but failed. However, it managed to rescue a person who stood on the roof.

In addition to Chakladar's hotel, other properties were attacked, including the house of Kazi Nabil Ahmed, MP for Jashore-3 (Sadar), located in Kazipara, the district Awami League office, and the Sheikh Russel sculpture.

In the evening, Rashed Khan, coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Jashore, condemned the arson attack on the Zaber Hotel at a press conference.

He said that before the students' march reached the hotel, miscreants had already attacked and vandalized it. Khan urged the authorities to identify and bring those responsible for the violence and arson to justice.

Bd pratidin English/Lutful Hoque