Explosion in Bangladeshi church causes panic, no casualties

A sudden explosion in front of the Holy Rosary Church in Tejgaon, Dhaka, caused panic among local residents in the evening on October 8.

Immediately after the explosion, the front area of the church and its surroundings were engulfed in smoke.

According to an eyewitness, citing the church’s security personnel, two unidentified individuals arrived on a motorcycle, threw a homemade bomb (cocktail), and quickly fled the scene.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Tejgaon Police Station, Mubarak Hossain, said, “Upon receiving the report, police were dispatched to the scene. However, no detailed information is available yet.”

Another eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said his residence is near the church. “I heard a loud bang and rushed outside to find the area filled with smoke. I then informed the church security guards,” he said.

The security guards reported seeing two men fleeing the scene right after throwing the explosive device. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.

Police arrived at the location shortly after the incident and cordoned off the area to begin an investigation.

In a Facebook comment on the Bangla section of Radio Veritas Asia, Nipun Gomes wrote, “This incident is deeply concerning and condemnable. An attack in front of a religious site is not only an assault on one community but poses a threat to the peace and harmony of the entire society.”

He further wrote, “Bangladesh is known as a secular state where people of all religions practice their faith freely. Such incidents seem to be attempts to disrupt the country's communal harmony.”

“Although no one was harmed in this incident, it clearly exposes vulnerabilities in our security system. To prevent such occurrences in the future, awareness must be raised not only among law enforcement but across all levels of society,” Gomes added.

He concluded, “We must remember that religious intolerance and violence have no place in any society. To protect Bangladesh’s multi-religious and multicultural social fabric, we must all stand together.”