--Sharif
On 8/19/05, uvj at vsnl.com <uvj at vsnl.com> wrote:
> HindustanTimes.com
>
> Wednesday, August 17, 2005
>
> Over 400 blasts rock Bangladesh; 2 dead, 140 hurt
>
> Nadeem Qadir (PTI)
>
> Dhaka, August 17, 2005
>
> In an unprecedented attack, over 400 small bombs, suspected to have been planted by a banned Islamic militant group, exploded near simultaneously in almost all Bangladeshi districts on Wednesday, killing two people, including a child, and injuring at least 140.
>
> Police said that 63 of Bangladesh's 64 districts were hit by the bombings, which occurred between 11.00 am and 11.30 am (local time), targeting government offices, courts and press clubs in the first such attack in this politically volatile South Asian country, prompting a security alert.
>
> Private NTV television channel said at least 140 people were injured in more than 400 explosions of crude bombs.
>
> A rickshaw puller died of his injuries in western Chapainawabganj while a young boy died in a hospital in nearby Savar area, police said.
>
> At least 46 suspects have been arrested from different parts of the country, sources said.
>
> Police suspected involvement of the outlawed militant outfit Jamiat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh after recovering leaflets under its name from the blast sites which demanded implementation of Islamic law in the country.
>
> "We are not ruling out the claim (by Mujahideen)... They could have carried out the attack or there could be something else... I can't comment on this right now," State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Baber told reporters. "But these incidents were quiet unexpected."
>
> A Home Ministry statement said that the attacks were an attempt to create chaos and unrest in the country and all possible steps have been taken to ensure security of the people.
>
>
-- Sharif Islam http://www.sharifislam.com Research Programmer University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Library Systems Office 217-244-4688