At least 65 people have been wounded when three improvised explosive devices were detonated in a gathering of Shia Muslims outside Old Dhaka’s Hossaini Dalan.
Published : 24 Oct 2015, 02:57 AM
The Shias were preparing for the trademark procession on the occasion of Ashura when the blasts took place at around 2am on Saturday, Chawk Bazar Police Station OC Aziz Ahmed told bdnews24.com.
RAB Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan said these were hand-made bombs and were hurled at the gathering.
The incident occurred at a time when police and other law-enforcing agencies strengthened security in Dhaka for Durga Puja that ended on Thursday and for Ashura.
Hossaini Dalan or Imambarha is the venue for gatherings held during the Islamic month of Muharram to commemorate the death of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
He died in the seventh century battle of Karbala on the 10th of Muharram, which has fallen on Saturday this year.
Earlier in the day in Pakistan, a suicide bombing in a similar Shia procession killed at least 16.
On Thursday, Pakistan saw 10 killed in a bombing at a Shia mosque.