Bangladesh hit by several bomb explosions

August 17, 2005

Several cities and towns in Bangladesh have been rocked by around 459 small explosions occurring simultaneously. To date at least 125 people have been injured and two people have been killed. The two people killed were a bicycle rickshaw driver in the northern town of Chapainawabganj and a 10-year-old boy in the central town of Savar.

The attacks are being blamed on the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen group. Leaflets bearing the Islamic group’s message were found near many of the homemade bombs. The group is said to want to establish an Islamic state in place of current secular laws.

The bombs were apparently made to cause limited damage. The explosives were packed in small containers and wrapped in tape, paper or sawdust. Explosives created for high collateral damage would typically contain nails or other items that could be used as shrapnel.

Bangladesh currently has the world's third largest Muslim population in the world. The Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen was banned in February after a series of bombings against non-governmental groups including holy shrines and other targets.