Dhaka, 12 August– A powerful pressure cooker bomb was defused at a mosque field in Sadhapur area of Savar, Dhaka, on Wednesday afternoon, causing a loud blast that shook the surrounding area and triggered panic among local residents.
The bomb disposal unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrived at the scene and evacuated the area before carrying out the operation. A loud sound was heard from a distance, while white smoke was seen rising into the sky.
The device was defused at around 3:28pm. Local residents living and working about 500 metres from the site said the blast was strong enough to shake the area.
Nibir Hossain, a local businessman, said they had not realised the bomb was so powerful until it was being defused.
Sub-Inspector Imran Hossain of the Bhabanipur Police Camp said police were informed about the suspicious object at around 8am. Officers subsequently found a pressure cooker wrapped in black tape at the site and informed the bomb disposal unit.
Police said the pressure cooker had initially been found inside a blue plastic drum at the mosque field around 1:30am on Tuesday night. Local residents later removed the pressure cooker from the drum and placed it on the field before notifying police.
According to police, several residents reported seeing three unidentified people leaving the plastic drum at the mosque field during the night. Their identities have not yet been established.
Inspector (Investigation) Nur Mohammad of Savar Police Station described the device as highly powerful and said senior officials would provide further details.
The bomb disposal team reached the scene before 2pm, secured the area and ordered people to leave before safely carrying out the disposal operation.
Earlier, Bangladesh security forces have recovered hand bombs and materials allegedly used to manufacture explosives from a house in Savar, outside Dhaka, and arrested a man whom police identify as a member of the banned militant group Neo-JMB. Police initially recovered five pipe bombs from the building before discovering eight more, bringing the total to 13.
Authorities are investigating whether the explosives are connected to pipe bombs recently recovered at a metro rail station in Dhaka’s Motijheel area, as well as to several earlier bomb-related incidents.
Police have recovered five hand bombs and materials allegedly used to make explosives from a house in Shyampur area of Hemayetpur in Savar, raising suspicions of a possible connection with pipe bombs recently recovered from Motijheel in Dhaka.
A man identified as Mohammad Arif, whom police describe as a member of the banned militant outfit Neo-JMB, has been arrested in connection with the case.
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