A late-night explosion at a religious school in the Bangladeshi capital has left four people wounded and raised serious security concerns after authorities discovered materials used for making bombs at the site.
Explosion Rocks Hasnabad Madrasa
The incident occurred on Friday night at the Umm Al Qura International Madrasa located in the Hasnabad area of Dhaka. The blast was powerful enough to cause significant structural damage, collapsing the walls of two rooms within the madrasa building.
Local police officials confirmed that the explosion took place around 10:30 PM. Fortunately, a major tragedy was averted as the madrasa's approximately 50 students were not present at the time. The institution was closed due to the weekly holiday, which is typically observed on Fridays.
Casualties and Police Findings
Four individuals sustained injuries in the blast. Among the wounded is a child, highlighting the potential for a far more severe outcome had the explosion occurred during regular hours. All injured were rushed for medical treatment following the incident.
Upon securing the site and initiating an investigation, law enforcement made a disturbing discovery. Police teams reported recovering cocktail-bombs, various chemicals, and other bomb-making materials from the madrasa premises. This find has shifted the focus of the probe towards a possible terror link or an illicit bomb-manufacturing operation being conducted at the location.
Investigation and Aftermath
The recovery of explosive materials has prompted a high-level investigation. Security forces have cordoned off the area for a thorough forensic examination to determine the exact cause of the blast and the nature of the materials found.
The discovery of bomb-making components inside a religious educational institution is particularly alarming for Bangladeshi authorities. It raises immediate questions about security oversight and the potential misuse of such spaces. The incident in Dhaka's Hasnabad area is likely to trigger renewed scrutiny of similar institutions across the country as investigators work to uncover the full network behind this dangerous cache.
Authorities are now questioning the madrasa's staff and locals to gather more information about the activities leading up to the explosion. The focus remains on identifying who was responsible for assembling the explosive materials and what their intended target might have been.