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Police have recovered a pressure cooker-like object suspected to be a bomb in Agailjhara upazila of Barishal and arrested an e-rickshaw driver in connection with the incident.
The driver, identified as Kawser Khalifa, was detained by locals at Purba Sujankathi three-way intersection on Tuesday night. The suspected explosive device was recovered from a bag he was carrying.
At a press briefing at the Barishal Superintendent of Police’s office on Wednesday afternoon, Additional DIG of Barishal Range Humayun Kabir said Kawser had left Seral village for Taltali Bazar in his e-rickshaw around 11pm on Tuesday, carrying a bag.
A local leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal became suspicious after noticing the bag and asked the driver to stop. However, Kawser allegedly tried to flee. Locals later intercepted the vehicle in Paschim Sujankathi and found the suspected bomb inside the bag before informing police.
Police recovered a 2.5-litre pressure cooker wrapped in adhesive tape. A six-member bomb disposal team from the Special Response Battalion (SRB) arrived from Dhaka on Wednesday and defused the device.
Officer-in-Charge of Agailjhara Police Station Mohammad Masud Khan said Sub-Inspector Md Al Amin had filed a case naming three people and 30 to 40 unidentified individuals.
The two other named accused are Fahim Daria, 26, and Nasir Gharami, 40.
Kawser has been sent to jail through court order.
The case accuses the suspects of possessing and stockpiling explosives with the intention of destabilising the country, damaging public and private institutions and creating panic among the public.
