Members of the DMP's specialized Bomb Disposal Unit on Friday night defused two improvised bombs found beneath the Motijheel Metro Rail Station in the capital, officials said.

While a suspected bomb was being defused, it exploded, critically injuring a man who was passing through the area.

The injured, Miraj Ahmed, 23, an employee of the Ministry of Education, was taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 8:30 pm.

Pedestrian injured in explosion during bomb disposal in Motijheel

According to intelligence officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, extensive security measures had been put in place in the Motijheel area since the afternoon for the return Rath Yatra procession of Hindu community.

They said unidentified persons who allegedly left the bombs beneath the metro station and on the road near the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries might have been targeting the procession. As the devices did not explode, passersby spotted them after the procession and informed law enforcement agencies.

The Bomb Disposal Unit was subsequently called in and safely neutralized the devices at around 8:00 pm.

Intelligence officials said the bombs contained detonators. One officer, requesting anonymity, said the devices appeared to be time bombs and were attached to umbrellas in such a way that they would explode if the umbrellas were opened.

The officer said the bombs were possibly intended to target a Rath Yatra procession that was scheduled to pass through the route, with the apparent objective of creating communal unrest.

The controlled explosion of the devices produced a loud blast that shook the surrounding area, triggering panic among pedestrians and nearby residents.

Officials on duty at Motijheel Metro Station, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said passengers and staff inside the station were frightened by the loud explosion and rushed about in panic.

Following the recovery of the bombs, the entire metro station was searched by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Dog Squad.

DMP Additional Commissioner (DB) Shafiqul Islam confirmed that two handmade bombs had been recovered and successfully defused by the Bomb Disposal Unit.