Two policemen among 4 killed in blasts near Sholakia

Four people including a woman and a suspect have been killed and at least 12 others injured in a suspected militant attack at a checkpoint near the Sholakia Eid congregation in Kishoreganj district. The policemen were identified as Zahirul Islam and Ansarul. Another victim is Jharna Rani Bhoumik. One suspected attacker was also killed in the attack. Two suspects have been detained with weapons. The bomb was hurled at the policemen in front of Azim Uddin High School at 9:30am on Thursday. The injured were rushed to Kishoreganj Sadar Hospital where police constable Zahirul Islam was declared dead, said Deputy Civil Surgeon Habibur Rahman. Six injured policemen were transferred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, he said. All of the policemen were injured by bomb splinters. They were flown Dhaka Combined Military Hospital by air. In the evening, Abu Sayem, additional SP of Kishoreganj, said their condition was stable but they were not yet out of danger. ASP Sayem said one more police official named Ansarul was killed in the incident. A woman named Jharna Rani Bhoumik was killed during a gunfight between the attackers and the police. He added that a revolver, a machete and a hand bomb were recovered from spot. Additional policemen and Border Guard Bangladesh members were deployed in the area. Two including a bullet-hit suspect were detained from near the spot. One suspected attacker was also killed, said Wabaidul Hasan, assistant superintendent of police of Kishoreganj. Azim Uddin High School is located within half kilometre of Sholakia Eid congregation and the road nearby the school leads to the ground. Panic gripped thousands of people who were gathering for the Eid prayer in the ground. The incident took place a week after six to seven armed men entered a cafe in Dhaka and killed 22 people, including 17 foreigners and two police officials. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. On Wednesday, IS released a video in which three Bangladeshi fighters believed to be staying in Raqqa of Syria called for waging armed jihad and carrying out more attacks on “crusaders” and “crusader nations.”