Five people were killed in Bangladesh after a passenger train caught fire Friday, with police suspecting an arson attack during unrest ahead of national elections boycotted by the opposition.

Fire service officer Rakjibul Hasan said at least four coaches caught fire on the Benapole Express, arriving in the capital Dhaka from the western city of Jessore.

“We have recovered five bodies,” police commander Khandaker Al Moin told reporters.

Witnesses said the train caught fire at Gopibagh, in an old part of Dhaka near the megacity’s main rail terminal.

An unnamed rescuer told private broadcaster Somoy TV that hundreds had rushed to pull people out of the burning train.

“We rescued many. But the fire spread quickly,” he said.

Somoy TV said some Indian citizens were also traveling on the train.

“We suspect the fire incident was an act of sabotage,” police chief Anwar Hossain told AFP, without giving more details.

Last month the police and government blamed the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for another train fire that left four people dead.

The BNP rejected involvement in that incident, saying it had been unfairly blamed as a pretext for a government crackdown on opposition parties.

Bangladesh will vote in national elections Sunday but the BNP and dozens of other parties have boycotted what they have described as a “sham” vote.

Thousands of opposition activists were arrested late last year after a protest campaign demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX faced an emergency today after one of its doors blew open mid-air, minutes after take-off.

Videos taken by passengers show the mid-cabin exit door had completely separated from the aircraft.

“AS1282 from Portland to Ontario, CA (California) experienced an incident this evening soon after departure. The aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 171 guests and 6 crew members. We are investigating what happened and will share more as it becomes available,” Alaska Airlines said in a post on X.

AS1282 from Portland to Ontario, CA experienced an incident this evening soon after departure. The aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 171 guests and 6 crew members. We are investigating what happened and will share more as it becomes available.

— Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) January 6, 2024

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in a post on X said it is investigating an event involving Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.

The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 16,325 feet, before it was diverted safely back to Portland, real-time aircraft movement monitor Flightradar24 said in a social media post.

🚨#BREAKING: Alaska Airlines Forced to Make an Emergency Landing After Large Aircraft Window Blows Out Mid-Air ⁰⁰📌#Portland | #Oregon
⁰A Forced emergency landing was made of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 at Portland International Airport on Friday night. The flight, traveling… pic.twitter.com/nt0FwmPALE

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 6, 2024

The Boeing 737 MAX involved in the incident today was delivered to Alaska Airlines on October 1, 2023 and entered commercial service on November 11, 2023; it had accumulated just 145 flights since then, Flightradar24 said.

The 737-9 MAX includes a rear cabin exit door aft of the wings, but before the rear exit door. This is activated in dense seating configurations to meet evacuation requirements. The doors are not activated on Alaska Airlines aircraft and are permanently “plugged”, Flightradar24 said.

More big names have appeared in newly unsealed documents linked to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex crimes. A New York judge had on Wednesday started unsealing the identities of people linked in court documents to Epstein.

Those named include a host of Epstein associates previously identified as John or Jane Does in a lawsuit brought against Epstein’s former mistress, Ghislaine Maxwell. It carries no allegation of complicity in Epstein’s crimes.

In a new batch of unsealed documents, it is mentioned former US President Donald Trump had come to Epstein’s south Florida house.

Juan Alessi, Epstein’s ex house manager, said he often saw many well-known people in the public – including Prince Andrew.

“Did – did they ever have massages when they were there?” Alessi was asked about Epstein’s guests.

“Prince Andrew did,” Alessi said. “I think Sarah was there only once and for a short time. I don’t think she slept in there. I cannot remember. I think she was visiting Wellington and she came to the house and we met her. But Prince Andrew, yes, Prince Andrew spent weeks with us.”

“Where would he sleep?”

Alessi said Andrew would sleep in the “main guest bedroom”.

“And, so, when he would come and stay, during that time would he frequently have massages?”

“I would say, daily massages. They have a daily massage.”

Alessi said he also saw Donald Trump around Epstein’s house, but the former US President “never” stayed at the home.

“He would come over, have dinner. He never sat at the table. He eat with me in the kitchen,” Alessi said.

On whether Trump had massages at Epstein’s house, Alessi said, “No. Because he’s got his own spa.”

The new documents are over 1,300 pages, in addition to the 1,600 pages already unsealed on Wednesday.

Epstein, a financier with a powerful network in the US and abroad, was himself accused of raping young girls, but his suicide by hanging in a New York prison in August 2019 halted his prosecution.

Fabricated lists and doctored photos of Epstein have circulated in conspiratorial internet circles for years, fuelling speculation about the financier’s potential associates.