Bomb recovered on one hand, police say no extremism on the other
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A powerful "pipe bomb" was placed inside an umbrella under the Motijheel metro station. The umbrella was blinking with a red light and making sounds. If anyone had picked up that umbrella on that busy road, an explosion would have occurred. Crime experts believe the bomb was placed there targeting the Ulto Rathayatra, one of the major religious festivals of the Hindu community.
Passersby spotted the bomb on Friday evening and informed the police. Later, the DMP's Bomb Disposal Unit recovered and defused it. However, even after four days have passed, police have not been able to identify anyone in connection with the incident.
The CTC (Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime) unit says there are no signs of extremism raising its head in the country. However, experts say that instead of dismissing the risk of militancy by claiming there is no extremism or no signs, the matter should be properly investigated to ascertain the truth.
Police have said the bomb-like object recovered from the Motijheel metro station was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). If the umbrella had been opened, there was a risk of explosion and casualties. Because the recovered IED bomb was made using batteries, electric circuits, and a detonator (blasting cap). It was wired in such a way that pressing the umbrella's switch would trigger the blast. The bomb contained about 1 to 1.5 kg of sulfur and numerous iron balls. Splinters were packed inside the pipe to increase the damage from the explosion.
Kamruzzaman Talukder, OC of Motijheel Police Station under DMP, told Agamir Somoy that it has not yet been identified who implanted the bomb. As the Rathayatra was taking place at that time, there was a large crowd. Moreover, there were no CCTV cameras in the immediate vicinity of where the umbrella was placed, making it difficult to identify the perpetrators.
He said, "We are investigating the matter seriously. We are analyzing hundreds of footage from body-worn cameras of police officers deployed for Rathayatra duty and from drones to try to identify suspects."
Sources related to the investigation said that the bomb was placed under the metro station targeting the Ulto Rathayatra procession. Because the bomb did not have the capability to damage the metro rail infrastructure. However, if it had exploded in that crowded area, there was a risk of 15-20 casualties.
The case filed over the incident mentions in the FIR that when the Rathayatra procession was passing by the metro station, police had cordoned off the umbrella bomb. The bomb was placed under the metro station next to the generator room. When participants of the Rathayatra asked about the cordoned-off area, police told them there had been a short circuit. Later, police requested people to move aside.
