File photo of policemen in Dhaka
Dhaka: A policeman and a suspected terrorist were killed and six people injured on Thursday after bombs went off triggering a gunfight between police and militants near Bangladesh's biggest Eid gathering in the north of the country.
Bombs exploded near an Eid prayer gathering in Sholakia in Kishoreganj district where at least 2,00,000 people had gathered, police said.Police constable Jahurul Haque, 30, died in the blasts that occurred around 9.00 am at Azimuddin School gate, a kilometre away from the prayer ground, bdnews24 reported.
One suspected attacker was also reported to be killed in an exchange of fire with police at the blast site as roads along in the area were cordoned off. Reports said that a gunfight was going on between the armed militants and the police.
The largest congregation of Eid prayer in Bangladesh was being held on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr that marks the end of the Muslims' holy fasting month of Ramazan when the attack occurred.
It was not known immediately who was behind the bomb attack.
A police official told Xinhua news agency that security has been beefed up after the explosions.
"We're closely monitoring the situation," said the official.
The explosion came about a week after a terror attack on a restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave Gulsan in which 20 people including an Indian girl was killed.
(With agency inputs)
