Bomb blast near ‘Mancha’ rally in Bogra: 4 held

Miscreants have exploded two handmade bombs near the rally venue of Ganajagaran Mancha in Bogra.
Angry Mancha activists thrashed two youths and handed them over to police.
Police say they have detained two more people for their suspected involvement in the bombing.
Mancha’s Bogra chapter activist JM Rauf said the rally was set to be held at the zero point on Friday evening while the Mancha activists marched to Thakurgaon via Bogra. The Mancha started its march to Thakurgaon on Friday morning from Dhaka’s Shahbagh, protesting the post-poll violence on members of the minority community in various parts of Bangladesh.
The rally started with Mancha Bogra chapter’s convener Masudur Rahman Helal in the chair in the afternoon.
Two handmade bombs were set off near the venue around 4.30pm.
Duty policemen fired several blank shots. People panicked and ran in confusion.
Bogra Sadar Police Station SI Mazida Khatun said four people had been detained in connection with the incident.
Those detained are: Abu Naser, 20, Torikul Islam Tuhin, 17, Ashraful Islam, 14, and Faruk Hossain, 19.
Of them, Naser and Torikul, injured after being assaulted by Mancha activists, were admitted to Sadar Hospital.
The Mancha activists coming from Dhaka were not present at the spot at the time of the attack.
They were holding a rally at the central Shaheed Minar in Sirajganj.
Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker said at the rally that the Jamaat-Shibir bomb blasts would not be able to stop their agitation. He vowed to continue their protest despite hurdles.
Friday’s programme would end with the rally in Bogra, Imran said. The Mancha marched to Jessore’s Abhoynagar on Jan 11 and 12 to protest communal attacks there after Jan 5 polls.