The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit said the pipe bomb had been planted to target the Ulto Rath Yatra procession after police recovered the powerful improvised explosive device (IED) beneath Motijheel Metro Rail Station in Dhaka on Friday.
Sub-Inspector (SI) Mirza Mohammad Mukta of Motijheel Police Station subsequently filed a case under the Explosives Act against unidentified individuals
According to the case, police received information about a suspicious bomb-like object along the procession route and recovered an umbrella containing a powerful pipe bomb before the religious procession reached the area. Authorities said the device was detected in time, preventing a potentially serious incident.
A passerby was injured during the controlled disposal of the bomb on Friday night. The injured, 66-year-old Miraj Ahmed, an employee of the Ministry of Education, sustained splinter injuries to his left eye. After receiving primary treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, he was referred to the National Institute of Ophthalmology in Agargaon for further treatment.
What the case states
According to the case documents, SI Mirza Mohammad Mukta was on duty with the "Honda Mobile" patrol unit to provide security for the Ulto Rath Yatra procession.
The procession began at Dhakeshwari National Temple, passed through Shapla Chattar in Motijheel and was scheduled to conclude at Swamibagh Ashram.
During the evening, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Control Room received information from the Traffic Division about a suspicious bomb-like object near the procession route. The device had been concealed inside an umbrella, and witnesses reported seeing a blinking light on it.
Following instructions from senior officials, SI Mukta and other officers reached the area beside the generator room of Motijheel Metro Rail Station at around 6:20pm and secured the location where the device had been found.
Police then requested participants in the procession to avoid the area, telling them there had been an electrical short circuit, allowing the procession to continue safely toward Swamibagh Ashram.
After the procession had passed through the area, members of the DMP Bomb Disposal Unit carried out a controlled explosion and safely neutralized the device, according to the case.
CTTC: Device was intended for procession
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Saturday evening, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and chief of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit Mohammad Shamsul Haque said: "The powerful pipe bomb had been planted to target the Rath Yatra procession."
He said the explosive had been attached to an umbrella in a way that opening it would have triggered the blast, potentially causing multiple casualties.
Describing the device, he said: "It was an improvised explosive device (IED) in the form of a pipe bomb. It contained sulfur, a large quantity of sharp metal fragments and barbed wire. The device was connected to a battery and an electrical circuit and was designed so that pressing the release button to open the umbrella would detonate the bomb."
Shamsul Haque confirmed that one passerby was injured during the bomb disposal operation and said the casualties could have been much higher had the area been crowded.
He added that investigators have yet to identify those responsible or determine their motive. He urged the public not to panic, saying law enforcement agencies and other relevant authorities are investigating the incident to identify and apprehend those involved.
