Two students were injured when two cocktails exploded near Dhaka University’s Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) area on Wednesday night.
The explosions occurred around 9:20pm, creating panic among students and pedestrians nearby.
Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed told Dhaka Tribune that the injured students are residents of Ruqayyah Hall.
“One of the students sustained injuries to her back, while the other suffered an ear injury,” he said.
Ruqayyah Hall Vice-President Fatematul Zannat Ema said both students belong to the 2020–21 academic session — one from the Organization Strategy and Leadership (OSL) department and the other from the Music department.
The students were later taken to Shahid Dr Mohammad Murtoza Medical Center by ambulance.
Sub-Inspector Kamal Uddin of Shahbagh police station said they initially believe the explosives were cocktails, but experts will be able to confirm the type of chemicals used after examining the seized evidence.
“These are cocktails; there might be some gunpowder or similar substances,” he added.
Jahangir Alam Chakladar, assistant director of the Madrasa Education Directorate, said a piece of a cocktail hit his back while he was walking home. When asked if he was injured, he confirmed feeling pain in his back.
One of the cocktails also exploded on the motorcycle of Najmus Sakib, a multimedia reporter for News24, damaging its fuel tank.
Abdul Mannan Gazi, a tea shop owner who witnessed the incident, said the explosives were thrown from across the road. Meanwhile, some eyewitnesses claimed they were thrown from Suhrawardy Udyan.
Viewers attending a documentary screening at TSC’s Payra Chattar, organized in cooperation with Ducsu, fled in fear from the venue.
In response, some student groups immediately organized protest rallies condemning the cocktail blasts.
