At least 14 crude bombs were exploded in eight incidents in the Agargaon, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Mirpur, Khilgaon and Mouchak areas Dhaka on Monday.
Three buses were also burnt in three incidents in the capital鈥檚 Dhanmondi, Shahjadpur and Merul Badda on the day.
The crude bombs were exploded between 3:45am and 6:40pm and the buses were burnt between 5:40am and 7:00pm. No casualties were reported and no one was arrested in connection with the incidents so far, according to the police.
The incidents occurred days after the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned, announced a 鈥楧haka Lockdown鈥� on social media for November 13, the day the ICT is scheduled to set the date for delivering its verdict in a crimes against humanity case against Awami League president and ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina for atrocities committed across the country during the July uprising.
Two crude bombs were exploded at Prabartana, a business owned by fisheries and livestock ministry adviser Farida Akhter, in the capital鈥檚 Mohammadpur area at about 7:10am, Dhaka Metropolitan Police鈥檚 Tejgaon zone deputy commissioner Md Ibne Mizan said.
Two other crude bombs were exploded in front of Betar Bhaban at Agargaon at about 7:00pm, he said.
鈥業n both incidents, people on a motorcycle arrived and threw the crude bombs. The police are trying to identify the perpetrators,鈥� DC Mizan added.
In Dhanmondi, two crude bombs were exploded in front of Midas Center at about 6:45am and two other bombs were exploded in front of Ibn Sina Hospital, said Kye Swe Nu, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi police station.
In Mirpur, two individuals wearing helmets arrived on a motorcycle and threw a crude bomb outside the head office of Grameen Bank at about 3:45am, said Md Mizanur Rahman, assistant commissioner of police for Mirpur division.
In another incident, three crude bombs were exploded in front of Shah Ali Market in Mirpur at about 6:40pm, according to officials of the DMP Traffic Division.
Besides, two more crude bombs were exploded on the Khilgaon flyover and Mouchak crossing between 6:00pm and 6:30 pm, the police said.
Police officials said that a Victor Paribahan bus caught fire at about 5:40am in the Shahjadpur area, an Akash Paribahan bus was found burning in the Merul Badda area at about 6:10am, and a bus of the Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology was set on fire at about 7:30pm near Lab Aid Hospital in the Dhanmondi area.
The police have arrested a 28-year-old man, identified as a member of banned student organization Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League, in connection with the crude bomb blasts in Dhaka, the Chief Adviser鈥檚 Press Wing said in a statement on Monday.
The suspect is being interrogated regarding the series of crude bomb explosions at multiple locations, including that on the premises of Kakrail鈥檚 St Mary鈥檚 Cathedral and St Joseph School, said the statement.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police, in a statement on Monday, said that they arrested 34 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations between 1:30pm on Sunday and 7:45am on Monday over bringing out flash processions in the capital.
The metropolitan police on Monday once again imposed a ban on all types of public gatherings around several key government establishments in Dhaka, including the International Crimes Tribunal, effective from today.
The ban will remain in effect until further notice, the metropolitan police said.
