Thursday’s attack occurred in Kishoreganj, about 90 km north of the capital of Dhaka, where some 300,000 people had gathered for what is the country’s largest congregation for Eid, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan.
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The attack comes about a week after suspected Islamic State group gunmen killed 20 hostages at an upscale cafe in the capital city of Dhaka. Jharna Rani Bhoumik, a housewife, was also killed as she was hit by a stray bullet that penetrated her hut, officials said.
The Islamic scholar said he believes firmly that militants’ “acts of… mayhem and killing indeed go against the spirit of Islam”, and in fact are “attempts to distort the tenets of the Quran”.
Among them, one was apprehended by the police when he was caught carrying a machete.
Speaking both Bengali and English, the man in the video said Bangladesh must know that it was now part of a bigger battlefield to establish the cross-border “caliphate”, proclaimed by the group in 2014.
On Thursday Bangladesh’s Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu portrayed the latest attack as being created to topple Hasina.
After the cafe attack, a highly-placed source in the government said Bangladesh was taking the help of a friendly country in the investigation into the carnage.
“I convey my heartfelt condolences to you and the people of Bangladesh at the second terrorist attack in quick succession in Bangladesh”.
Two police officers, a female bystander and a suspected militant were killed and at least 12 people were injured as extremists threw homemade bombs and engaged in a gun battle with police, the Associated Press reported. “But I call upon the people not to panic which will only benefit the militants’ goal and instead wage a social resistance against the extremists”, he said.
Controversial Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik faced more heat on Thursday with the government saying appropriate action will be taken against him over his speeches that were reported to have inspired some of the Dhaka attackers, calling it highly objectionable.
Police chased the assailants through the area, searching nearby homes and body searching some devotees at the gathering, said resident Shafiqul Islam, who was among those offering Eid prayers.
It was one of the deadliest attacks ever in Bangladesh, where al Qaeda and Islamic State have made competing claims for a series of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government deny that global jihadist networks have gained a foothold in the country.
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Blood stains at the site in Kishoreganj district of Bangladesh after terrorists killed four people and injured 13 at a high school.
