Seven killed, over 70 injured in Bangladesh explosion

According to details, the blast took place at Shawarma House, situated on the ground floor of a three-storey building. Following the impact of blast, seven adjacent buildings and three buses also shattered.

After getting information, Rescue teams and police reached the spot to carry out rescue operations.

Initially, police called it a gas explosion but fire service and civil defence did not want to confirm anything before the investigation gets completed.

Among the injured, 29 have been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and 10 to Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Institute.

Following the incident, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Shafiqul Islam visited the spot at 10:30 pm.

In a media briefing, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Brigadier General Sazzad Hussain, stated, “The explosion might have taken place from any gas pipe or cylinder blast. The building, too, is risky”.

He added that there was a gas pipeline in the area where construction work was taking place in front of the building.

"We will check if the gas line on the street to see whether there was any leakage due to construction work," said the DG.

The commissioner added that they did not find any evidence to support it as an incident of sabotage and it is likely to have taken place due to gas explosion.

As per witnesses and locals, the explosion took place on the ground floor of a building, which had an electronics showroom, a meat sales outlet, a restaurant and a sweetmeat shop.

However, a probe committee will investigate the incident.