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Published : 28 Dec 2025, 01:16 AM
Reactions between chemicals stored in large quantities led to the explosion that blew away the walls of a madrasa and caused cracks in its roof and columns on the outskirts of Dhaka on Friday.
Police say the chemicals found stored in the building are commonly used to make explosives, adding that the director of the educational institution is a former “suspected extremist”.
The explosion occurred at the Ummal Qura International Madrasa at Hasnabad in South Keraniganj.
Police hold the madrasa Director Al Amin Sheikh as the key suspect in the explosion. Al Amin is now on the run, leaving behind his wife and child injured in the explosion.
Police have shown arrested three women, including the wife of the key suspect.
Police have officially said nothing about the suspect’s link to “extremist” organisations. But they said Al Amin stands accused in seven cases. The suspect was arrested twice previously.
One of the cases was filed under the anti-terrorism law at Fatulla Police Station on Jul 29, 2017. At that time, he was arrested on suspicion of being a member of an extremist organisation known as “Neo-JMB”.
The madrasa explosion happened around 10am on Friday.
The madrasa director, his wife Asiya Begum, 28, their two sons were injured in the attack. Al Amin went into hiding leaving behind his family after the incident.
The two other arrested women are Asiya’s sisters-in-law – Yasmin Akhter, 30, and Asmani Khatun, 34.
Asiya’s brother Harunur Rashid had rented the one-storey building which accommodated the madrasa. Police said Harunur is not in the country. Al Amin later took over the madrasa’s operational responsibility. Two of the rooms in the building were used as classrooms.
The explosion left two of the rooms almost entirely damaged. The two other rooms were also impacted.
Locals said the madrasa took rather young children as its students, initiating them into Arabic alphabets and giving limited Bengali lessons as well. Al Amin’s family members were the only teachers.
Parvin Begum, the owner of the damaged building, said Rashid was her first tenant since her family built her the house, where she did not live.
She rented the house at Tk 10,000.
Mizanur Rahman, a police superintendent, held a press conference at the South Keraniganj Police Station. He said Al Amin used to drive auto rickshaw after coming out of jail on bail in 2023.
He added that police primarily believe the explosion was triggered by a reaction between chemicals stored at the madrasa.
