Security tightened at Chittagong court after bomb attack threat

Authorities have beefed up security measures at Chittagong court premises on Tuesday after threat of a suicide bomb attack.

Chittagong Bar Association's General Secretary Abdur Rashid said the association's executive committee member Manas Kumar Das received a phone call in the morning threatening to blow up the court.

"Manas received a call on his mobile phone from an unidentified number (016 83 62 49 81) which threatened of a bomb attack at the court," Rashid told bdnews24.com.

Das told bdnews24.com that the call was made at 9.19 am on Tuesday. "A man, speaking in Chittagong's dialect, said that a suicide squad will attack the court today."

Police filed a general diary after the threat and security was immediately strengthened on the court premises.

"Advocate Manas has informed us of the matter. He said that a man identifying himself as a member of banned outfit JMB (Jamatul Mujaheeden Bangladesh) threatened to blow up the court building," Kotowali Police Station OC Muhiudding Selim told bdnews24.com.

Chittagong Metropolitan Police's Deputy Commissioner Manjur Morshed told bdnews24.com that apart from tightening security, an additional six platoons of police have been deployed in the court area.

Searches are being conducted at the court premises and in nearby areas, the police official said. "We have taken toughest possible measures to prevent any untoward incidents."

The number used for threatening the bomb attack was later found switched off.