Fatal blasts rock Bangladesh

October 3, 2005

Two people were killed and 40 others injured in a series of bombings at courts in three districts of Dhaka, Bangladesh today, in an apparent repeat of the nationwide August 17 bombings (in which 3 people were killed and 150 injured), according to police.

One person was killed and five others were injured when a youth hurled a bomb concealed in a book at a court in central Chandpur district. The injured included court officials. In another attack in Luxmipur district, one person was killed and 30 others injured when two youths hurled bombs at a court there, police said. In the third incident, bombs were exploded in three places in southeastern port city of Chittagong injuring at least five others.

An unexploded bomb was found in Mymensingh district, television reports said.

State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babor was unfazed. "We were prepared and we will face these very confidently," he told reporters "Some arrests were made as we were prepared".

Yesterday, two people were killed and three others were injured in a bomb attack at a tea stall in western Satkhira district.

According to reports, a leaflet was found at the site warning against keeping shops open during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan starting this week.

The Government has arrested dozens of members of the banned Jamatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB) since then.