The law enforcers have defused 16 grenades recovered from a construction site in Gazipur.
Construction workers unearthed the grenades from an earthen jar during the construction of a house in Jorpukur, Sadar upazila at around 9am on Monday.
According to Syed Rafiul Karim, officer-in-charge of Sadar police station, Abul Kashem of Kapasia had purchased the 3.5-katha plot in the Dakkhin Chayabithi area and was preparing to build a house there.
As the construction began on Monday, the workers discovered several grenades buried in the jar under the soil.
Upon receiving the information, police immediately rushed to the scene and evacuated the area to ensure safety.
A bomb disposal unit from Dhaka visited the spot and defused the objects around 2:30pm.
Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahmuduzzaman of the bomb disposal unit said a 15-member team reached the spot quickly and took charge of the scene. They used a robot to defuse the grenades.
“We came to the spot and found powerful Arges-type grenades wrapped in polythene inside a large pot. Because the place is dangerous, we used the robot. The grenades were attached, and later we were able to separate them slowly,” he added.
“It is not possible to tell the country of origin of these grenades. But similar ones were used during the August 21 attack. The samples will be tested, and then we can make further comments. We will give it to the forensic department of the Crime Investigation Department for examination,” he said.
Mahmuduzzaman also mentioned that it took the team 6 hours to defuse the grenades.
Members of the Rapid Action Battalion led by Major Junnurain bin Alam, in charge of RAB-1 Gazipur Porabari camp, were also present at the spot.
The land owner told reporters he had called 999 after the workers discovered the grenades.
A local named Selim Sarker claimed that the workers had been digging the site for the last few days.
Assistant Commission of Gazipur Metropolitan Police Fahim Aashzad said the local people were asked to stay away from the site while the grenades were being defused.