Incident report:

Bomb in Bangladesh Church Kills Ten

Ten people were killed and dozens wounded on Sunday, when a bomb exploded in a church in southwestern Bangladesh. The blast occurred during Sunday prayers at Baniarchar Christian mission in the Gopalganj district.

Police said the bomb was believed to have been concealed in a sack kept inside the church, and went off soon after the prayers had begun.

Government promises a vigorous investigation
Gopalganj, where Sunday's blast occurred, is the home district of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed. Mohammad Faruq Khan, an MP for the ruling Awami League in Gopalganj district, condemned the incident and promised a vigorous investigation through relevant government agencies responsible for security matters.

Michael Rozario, Archbishop of Dhaka, condemned the bombing and demanded a proper inquiry. "Such an incident at any prayer place calls for condemnation. I hope authorities will conduct a proper investigation," he said.

Jawadul Karim, press secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said the Prime Minister had immediately ordered an investigation into the incident and had asked army explosive experts to visit the area, which is near her hometown.

No group has taken responsibility for the blast, though the government has blamed Islamic extremists for past bombings. On April 14, a bomb blast at a Bengali new year celebrations at a Dhaka park killed a dozen people.

Investigation Report

9/01 5 accused given bail