On Friday, 24th July, a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) hidden inside an umbrella was recovered from the route of the Ulto Rath Yatra procession in Dhaka, helping authorities prevent what police described as a possible major attack. The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit said the pipe bomb had been placed with the intention of targeting Hindu devotees participating in the religious procession.
In another disturbing incident targeting the Hindu community in Bangladesh, local police defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near a metro rail station in Dhaka's Motijheel that had been planted along the route of a Rath Yatra procession, local media reported on… pic.twitter.com/Sd36jrJ498
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Bomb found before procession reached the spot
The suspicious object was discovered beneath Motijheel Metro Rail Station after the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Control Room received information from the Traffic Division about a bomb-like object near the procession route. Witnesses had noticed a blinking light coming from an umbrella left at the location.
Following instructions from senior officers, Sub-Inspector (SI) Mirza Mohammad Mukta and other police personnel reached the spot at around 6:20 pm and secured the area beside the generator room of the metro station.
To avoid panic among devotees, police informed participants that there had been an electrical short circuit in the area and asked them to avoid the area where the bomb was found. This allowed the Ulto Rath Yatra procession to continue safely towards Swamibagh Ashram without passing close to the explosive device.
The procession had started from Dhakeshwari National Temple, travelled through Shapla Chattar in Motijheel and was scheduled to end at Swamibagh Ashram.
Bomb safely destroyed after procession passed
Once the procession had moved away from the area, members of the DMP Bomb Disposal Unit carried out a controlled explosion and safely destroyed the device.
However, one passerby was injured during the disposal operation. Miraj Ahmed, 66, who works at the Ministry of Education, suffered splinter injuries to his left eye. He was first treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and was later shifted to the National Institute of Ophthalmology in Agargaon for further treatment.
CTTC says device was meant to cause heavy damage
Speaking on Saturday evening, CTTC chief and Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mohammad Shamsul Haque said the bomb had been planted to target the Rath Yatra procession.
He explained that the explosive was designed in such a way that opening the umbrella would have triggered the blast. According to him, the device was a pipe bomb containing sulfur, a large amount of sharp metal pieces and barbed wire. It was connected to a battery and an electrical circuit, with the release button of the umbrella acting as the trigger.
Shamsul Haque said the quick recovery of the device helped prevent what could have been a serious incident with many casualties, especially if the area had been crowded.
Case registered and investigation underway
After the recovery of the bomb, SI Mirza Mohammad Mukta of Motijheel Police Station filed a case under the Explosives Act against unidentified individuals.
Investigators are still trying to identify those responsible and find out the motive behind planting the explosive. Police have appealed to the public not to panic and said law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigation to trace and arrest those involved.
