Kishoreganj, Bangladesh (BBN) - At least four people, including two policemen, were killed and more than 10 others injured after an attack near Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in the country’s central Kishoreganj district Thursday morning.
A local police official said that four – including two police constables, a woman and a miscreant – died at scene. “One suspect has been held, about 13 injured.”
The victim police constable was identified as Zahirul Islam. Another police constable Ansarullah, hailing from Netrokona, died at Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital.
Identities of the two other casualties could not be confirmed immediately.
Five other policemen have been sent to the capital Dhaka for better treatment.
The injured were whisked off to Sadar hospital. Some of the injured were sent to Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital.
A hand bomb was thrown to policemen in front of Azim Uddin High School at 9:30am (local time) on Thursday.
The school is located within one kilomitre of Sholakia Eid congregation. The road nearby the school leads to the Sholakia Eid congregation.
Witnesses said the explosion took place near Ajimuddin High School adjacent to Sholakia Eidgah no sooner had the helicopter carrying Mawlana Farid Uddin Masud landed at Kishoreganj Stadium near the country’s largest Eid congregation.
Immediately afterwards, another explosion took pace inside the Stadium while sound of a volley of gunfire was heard near the spot of the first explosion.
Despite the incident, the Eid prayer was offered at Sholakia Eidgah. The prayer was led by Mawlana Shoeb instead of Mawlana Farid Uddin Masud given the circumstances.
A group of six to seven people led the attack on policemen when the law enforcers were frisking people into the Eidgah ground, according to local people.
They attacked the policemen with sharp weapons and blasted some bombs at scene.
Additional police forces were immediately dispatched at scene. The law enforcers compelled the miscreants to a retreat into an alley adjacent to Azimuddin School.
Mohmmad Anwar Hossain Khan, police chief of the district, reportedly said that police were engaged in a confrontation with the miscreants.
BBN/SSR/AD