Dhaka, March 22 (IANS): At least nine people suffered burn injuries in a petrol bomb attack in Bangladesh ahead of an opposition-called strike, police said on Sunday.

Unidentified attackers hurled petrol bombs at a truck in Magura district in Bangladesh, leaving nine people injured, Xinhua cited a police officer as saying.

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

The officer added that of the nine, five were critically burnt and were sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

With the death of a man 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 January 5, demanding fresh elections under a non-party caretaker government system.