Six killed in blasts in Bangladesh (Lead)

Dhaka March 26 (IANS) At least six persons including two police officers were killed in two explosions in Bangladesh s Sylhet city police said on Sunday.

More than 40 others were injured in the blasts on Saturday near a militant hideout in the city some 240 km from capital Dhaka.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Zedan Al Musa said the explosions came a day after a suicide bomber blew himself up near the country s main airport in Dhaka.

That attack was claimed by Islamic State.

The seriously wounded include Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Intelligence chief who has been flown to Dhaka for better treatment.

One of the injured Gulzar Ahmed told bdnews24.com that some onlookers stopped a person carrying a black polythene bag.

The blast occurred just after he said that there was red spinach in the bag. Five to six people were injured in the explosion he said.

Another large explosion occurred when police and RAB rushed to the scene. Around 25 people were injured in the second blast he added.

Witnesses earlier blamed two people riding a motorcycle for the explosion at one end of the street where the militant hideout is located.

The blasts came within an hour of a media briefing on a raid at the hideout housing two buildings - one five-storey and the other four-storey.

Police said the militants rented a flat some months ago.

Commandos rescued 78 people from the building.

--IANS
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