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Thursday, 7 July 2016

Policeman killed, several injured in blast near Bangladesh’s Sholakia ground before Eid prayers



Police said at least 12 have been injured in the blasts at Azimuddin High School gate, a kilometre away from the ground, around 9am on Thursday. 

An attacker was reportedly killed after police exchanged heavy gunfire with the miscreants. 

Constable Jahurul Haque, 30, was declared dead after police admitted the injured at Khishoreganj Zila Hospital, said Deputy Civil Surgeon Habibur Rahman.  

“There are six policemen among the injured,” he said. “They have been transferred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.”    



The blasts spread panic among thousands who were beginning to gather near the ground, but the prayers were not disrupted, said Kishoreganj Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Obaidul Hasan. 

“That was probably a crude bomb. The facts are still unclear,” said ASP Obaidul.
The blasts follow the deadliest terror attack in Bangladesh, the killing of 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, at an upscale restaurant in the heart of the capital’s diplomatic estate.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Anwar Khan, who was at the ground, rushed to see the injured at the hospital.

Many were passing the school to get to the ground when the police check post near its gate came under attack.

The sound could be heard by those already at the prayer ground.

Some said they quickly left the spot after seeing people running in the path leading to the ground.

The attackers were said to have been carrying sharp weapons, various media have reported. But how many took part in the attack is still unclear. 

Witnesses said police fired at the miscreants before being joined by troopers of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The 'IS-claimed' attack by Islamist gunmen on Gulshan's Holey Artisan Bakery and O' Kitchen on July 1 prompted authorities to take additional security measures at every prayer grounds.

Police keep watch towers and security cameras to manage security over the congregations attended by tens of thousands, but the severity of the Gulshan led to more security surveillance. 
Local authorities say more than a thousand personnel from police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Armed Police Battalion (APBn) were securing Sholakia and the surroundings.            
The ground on seven acres of the bank of the Narosunda River was originally donated by Dewan Hazrat Khan Bahadur, the sixth descendent of Isha Khan, the ruler of Bengal of the Baro-Bhuiyan stock.
The first Eid assembly in Sholakia was held in 1828 where 125,000 devotees were said to have said their prayers.
The name Sholakia is possibly a derivation from the first gathering which in Bengali sounds like 'shoa-lakhia' or one-and-a-quarter lakhs.topcollinsblogtopcollinsblog

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