459 Bomb Blasts in 20 Minutes Rattle Bangladesh; India Seals Border

459 Bombs were blasted throughout Bangladesh within a span of only 20 minutes killing at least 2 people.

For years Bangladesh has quietly nurtured Islamist extremists trained by Pakistan’s ISI and Taliban-minded clerics. Khaleda Zia’s overnment even made them coalition partners.

Yesterday the policy backfired.

459 bombs were blasted in a span of only 20 minutes from 11 am to 11:20 am in an extraordinary show of terror in 63 out of 64 districts of Bangladesh.

The blasts killed at least 2 people and injured over 300.

Many unexploded bombs were recovered by security forces.

Eight people were arrested in connection with the bombings.

Police said the time-bombs were homemade and apparently designed to cause only limited damage.

What is most conerning is the level of organization in place to conduct such massive operation across the country.

Intelligence agencies confirmed, on the basis of the contents of Jamaitul-Mujahideen leaflets in Bangla and Arabic left at some of the sites, that the blasts bore the fingerprint of Jihadis.

The perpetrators went after the symbol of the government targeting public schools, government building and courts.

Fearful of the possibility of terrorists sneaking in India, one of the first steps taken was to seal the border.

Source: The Times of India (offline edition), Anandabazar Patrika (offline edition), China Daily