Two arrested over explosions at Kamalapur Railway Station

DHAKA: Police have arrested two people, including a former leader of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, in connection with two cocktail-like explosions at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka.

The arrested individuals are Md. Sakhawat Hossain Raihan, 32, an electrician working in the MOD section of Kamalapur Railway Station, and Md. Saimun, 23, whom police identified as an active Jubo League member.

Motijheel Division Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid disclosed the information at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Monday (September 21).

According to police, the two explosions occurred at around 10:37pm on September 19 between pillars 29 and 30 on Platform No. 2 of Kamalapur Railway Station.

Following the incident, Shahjahanpur police launched an investigation using information technology, intelligence analysis and information from reliable sources. Police subsequently identified and arrested Raihan and Saimun.

Raihan was employed as an electrician in the MOD section of Bangladesh Railway’s Kamalapur station and had previously served as organising secretary of the Shahjahanpur thana unit of the banned Chhatra League, police said.

Saimun was identified as an active Jubo League member from the Shahjahanpur area.

Police said the two suspects provided information during preliminary questioning about their alleged involvement in the incident. Based on their statements, investigators have identified several other people who may be connected to the blasts.

A case has been filed with Dhaka Railway Police Station, while Shahjahanpur police are continuing operations to verify the information and arrest other suspects.

Harun-or-Rashid said investigators were also examining the different roles allegedly played by those involved, including financing, coordination, throwing explosives and recording videos. He said it would be possible to determine whether the arrested suspects were linked to other incidents after their questioning is completed.

Regarding questions about possible intelligence failures, the deputy commissioner said police regularly take action based on intelligence information and that most of their operations are conducted on the basis of such information. He said there was no basis at this stage to describe the incident as an intelligence failure.