Violence In Dhaka: 21-Year-Old Killed In Crude Bomb Blast On Christmas Eve
Fresh violence broke out in Dhaka on Christmas Eve, days before exiled Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman’s expected visit, when a man was killed in a powerful crude bomb blast near the Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command at the Moghbazar intersection on Wednesday evening. Police said unidentified attackers hurled a crude bomb from the Moghbazar flyover at around 7:10 pm, which fell onto the road below and fatally struck 21-year-old Saiful Siam on the head.
The incident comes amid tightened security in the capital ahead of Rahman’s return. Rahman, son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has been in exile for 15 years and is set to arrive in Dhaka with barely a month left before Bangladesh goes to the polls.
According to police, the bomb was thrown from the flyover onto the main road next to the Assemblies of God (AG) Church in New Eskaton, under the jurisdiction of Hatirjheel Police Station. Ramna Division Deputy Police Commissioner Masud Alam told Jago News that a “powerful cocktail bomb” had been hurled from above and confirmed that the young man died on the spot after being hit by the explosive, adding that senior officers were at the scene and a probe was underway.
Faruk, a roadside tea-stall owner who witnessed the incident, told Jago News that Siam had come to his stall for tea shortly before the blast. “I was about to wash the cups when there was a loud bang. Then I saw Siam lying on the ground. Blood was flowing from his head, and his brains were scattered,” he recounted.
Siam worked at Zahid Car Decoration, an automobile accessories shop in the Moghbazar area, and police said he had stepped out to buy snacks from a nearby shop when the explosion occurred. Law enforcement personnel later cordoned off the area and launched efforts to identify those responsible and establish the motive behind the attack.