Massive Explosion in Gulistan Leaves 16 Dead, over 60 Injured

At least 16 people, including two women, were killed and over 60 others injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital's Gulistan area on Tuesday.

The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately,said Inspector Bachhu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police camp, reports UNB.

The injured are now receiving treatment at DMCH, he added.

The explosion occurred around 4:50pm with a big bang, said Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director (media cell) of the Fire Service and Civil Defence.

On information, eleven units of fire service and five ambulances rushed to spot and are conducting rescue operations, he added.

A sanitary materials shop on the ground floor of the building, Brac bank office on the other floors and 7- storied building adjacent to it were damaged but no building collapsed, said  Sikder said.

Meanwhile , a team of bomb disposal unit of Bangladesh Army is going to inspect the explosion site, said ISPR.

The huge blast occurred within two days of another blast in a building in Science lab area in the capital that killed three people  and injured more than 50 on Sunday.