At least one man was killed and more than 30 others were injured after a huge blast at a night club in the center of Azerbaijan's capital Baku in the early hours of Sunday, according to law enforcement authorities. The explosion resulted in a huge fire that engulfed the building of the night club and caused part of it to collapse, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The blast also damaged nearby properties, including cars. Several fire and emergency crews were sent to the area, who managed to extinguish the fire. One body was discovered at the scene. At least 31 people suffered injuries, mainly burns, and were hospitalized, according to initial estimates of law enforcement authorities. Also Read: 2 killed, 8 injured in car bomb blast in western Afghanistan The blast was caused by a propane gas cylinder, said Ruslan Aliyev, general director of the country's main gas provider Azerigas, adding that gas supply to the area was halted for safety reasons. Senior officials, including Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Etibar Mirzayev, First Deputy Prosecutor General Elchin Mammadov and Baku Mayor Eldar Azizov rushed to the scene. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident as emergency crews were still searching for victims.    

A suicide bomber struck inside a Shiite Muslim mosque in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar during Friday prayers, killing at least 56 worshippers and wounding 194 people, hospital officials said. No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Both the Islamic State group and the Pakistani Taliban — a militant group separate from the Taliban in Afghanistan — have carried out similar attacks in the past in the area, located near the border with neighboring Afghanistan. According to the spokesman at Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital, Asim Khan, many of the wounded were in critical condition. Scores of victims were peppered with shrapnel, several had limbs amputated and others were injured by flying debris. Read: Fire out at Ukraine's key nuclear plant amid Russian attacks Peshawar Police Chief Muhammed Ejaz Khan said the violence started when an armed attacker opened fire on police outside the mosque in Peshawar’s old city. One policeman was killed in the gunfight, and another police officer was wounded. The attacker then ran inside the mosque and detonated his suicide vest. Local police official Waheed Khan said the explosion occurred as worshippers had gathered in the Kucha Risaldar Mosque for Friday prayers. There are fears the death toll will rise further, he added. Ambulances rushed through congested narrow streets carrying the wounded to Lady Reading Hospital, where doctors worked feverishly. Shayan Haider, a witness, had been preparing to enter the mosque when a powerful explosion threw him to the ground. “I opened my eyes and there was dust and bodies everywhere,” he said. At the Lady Reading Hospital Emergency department, there was chaos as doctors struggled to move the many wounded into operating theaters. Hundreds of relatives gathered outside the emergency department, many of them wailing and beating their chests, pleading for information about their loved ones.

Three people suffered severe injuries while making a bomb at a park in Gournadi upazila of Barishal early Saturday, police said. One of the injured, who lost both his hands, was identified as Harun. Two others could not be immediately identified. Police said the incident occurred around 12am in Faria Garden Park, owned by Nuruzzaman Farhad, vice chairman of the upazila parishad and joint general secretary of the upazila Awami League. Also read: 2 injured in Madaripur bomb blast Bomb maker Harun’s both arms were ripped off in the explosion. After the explosion they escaped the scene with all the bomb-making equipment, police said. Meanwhile, police were informed that the injured were undergoing treatment at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, but no specific information was received from the hospital authority in this regard. Sub-inspector of Gournadi police Abul Kalam said that attempts are under way to identify where the injured are undergoing treatment. Besides, Police arrested park security guard Abdur Rahman for interrogation, he said. Also read: Youth injured while making bomb in Jashore Afzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Gournadi Police Station, said that a case has been filed under the Explosives Act against four named and 4-5 unnamed in this connection. Meanwhile, Upazila Vice Chairman Nuruzzaman Farhad Munshi, who was in Dhaka at the time of the explosion, said, “I have heard about the matter. However, the explosion did not happen inside the park but in an abandoned house outside the park area.” “I learned that some people had entered the park in the middle of the night, threatening the security guards,” he added.

 A 38-year-old man, who suffered severe injuries ‘while making bomb’ at his house in Rajghat area of Abhaynagar upazila in Jashore district died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday night. The deceased is Rafiqul Islam Shappa, son of Ibrahim Molla of the upazila. AKM Shamim Hasan, officer-in-charge of Abhaynagar Police Station, said Rafiqul sustained injuries in fingers, eyes, face, chest and legs as a bomb went off while he was making it around 12 am on Monday. Read: Youth injured while making bomb in Jashore The roof of the house was blown away and cracks developed on the walls following the blast. The injured was first taken to the Upazila Health Complex from where he was transferred to Khulna Medical College Hospital as his injuries were critical. Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College and hospital with police escort around 11 pm and doctors declared him dead upon arrival. Five sharp weapons were recovered from the house, said the OC. Read: Injured in explosion, 'bomb maker' dies at Rajshahi hospital A case will be filed in this regard and investigation is underway, he said.

The bomb disposal unit of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Monday night disposed of four country-made bombs in the Naribari area of Natore’s Gurudaspur. Read: College student drowns after jumping into river in Natore; body goes missing Officials said that local residents spotted the bombs wrapped in a plastic bag in the bushes next to a pesticide store in the area on Monday afternoon and informed the police. Soon, a joint team of local police and RAB personnel rushed to the spot, evacuated the area and cordoned it off. In the evening, the RAB bomb disposal unit reached the spot from Dhaka and destroyed the bombs around 8 pm, officials said. Read:Patient in Natore flees clinic, dies on street gasping for air "However, the bombs were not powerful.  RAB members took away the exploded remains of the bombs to Dhaka for further examination," said Natore Police chief Liton Kumar Saha. "A probe is on."

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit on Sunday night arrested a suspected member of Neo JMB along with three bombs and bomb-making materials following a raid on a house in Kazipara area at  Madanpur port of Narayanganj. The arrestee was identified as Major Osama alias Nayeem, a member of the military wing of Neo JMB. Read: Suspected militant hideout cordoned off in Narayanganj CTTC chief Md Asauduzzaman said three bombs, four remote controls, bomb-making  materials and a large number of jihadi books were seized during the raid. He also said that the members of a bomb disposal unit defused the bombs at the spot. He said that Osama was an Imam of a local mosque and used to live in a house beside it with his family. Read: Suspected militant detained in Dhaka He operated his militant activities from the house, said the officer. “Three days ago we arrested three members of Neo JMB from Mirpur. We got information about Major Osama from them,” added Asaduzzaman. “We arrested him from nearby his home on Sunday evening  and later raided his house at night,” he said. Read:Govt helping militants to get back normal life: Minister However, family members of the arrestee were not in the house during the raid. "The house was used as a den of militants to make bombs. The bomb, found near a police box in Narayanganj's Siddhirganj on May 17, was made in this house, CTTC Additional Deputy Commissioner Ahmedul Islam said on Sunday.

In Old Dhaka, known for its food, centuries-old buildings and narrow alleys, people are living with “bombs” in the form of hundreds of chemical warehouses that pepper this historic neighbourhood. Fires at such godowns, which lack safety measures, have killed scores over the years. Eleven years after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered the relocation of the warehouses following the death of about 100 people in Nimtoli fire, they are yet to be shifted largely because of vehement opposition by traders. Another 78 lives were lost in the infamous Chawkbazar fire but the tragic deaths did not bring about any change. Also read: Armanitola chemical warehouse fire: 2 owners held After the latest fire incident that started at a chemical storehouse on April 23 at Armanitola killing four people, the government is now saying that these godowns will be relocated permanently to Munshiganj within 2022. Industries Secretary KM Ali Azam told UNB that preparing a 308-acre plot for relocation is going on in Munshiganj. About 2,000 warehouses can be set up there. For now, 53 warehouses will be shifted to Tongi temporarily – seven of them have already been relocated. Another 54 will be moved to Shyampur – 19 have already been shifted and the rest will be relocated within three months, the secretary said. Asked about such storehouses in Dhaka, he said available information put the number at around 2,000. “We can relocate them permanently to Munshiganj within 2022,” Secretary Azam said. Read BSEC moves to set up chemical warehouse at Tongi Relocation ‘Very Soon’ A committee, headed by the Cabinet, secretary supervises the relocation of chemical warehouses and all aspects of this trade, he said. The committee has representatives from Rajuk, Industries Ministry, Home Ministry and other related ministries. This committee also oversees licences for the traders. Dhaka South City Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer and newly-appointed Rajuk Chairman ABM Aminullah Noori told UNB that the Industries Ministry had undertaken two projects to relocate the chemical warehouses from Old Dhaka. The projects are in Munshiganj and Tongi. The one in Tongi is expected to be completed within this year. “Once they’re ready, all the chemical warehouses will be moved out of Old Dhaka,” he said. Also read: Fire guts 3 Keraniganj chemical warehouses, 10 hurt He, however, did not give a timeframe for completion of the projects. “We’re optimistic about relocating them very soon,” he said. Aminullah said the unplanned warehouses of Old Dhaka are a long-time issue. “It can’t be resolved without the cooperation of local traders and residents. Moving the warehouses took time because of the local traders’ opposition,” he said, adding that the government is continuing its efforts and is optimistic that godowns will be relocated soon. Read Armanitola building fire: One more victim dies Ticking Time Bombs Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) General Secretary Dr Adil Mohammad Khan said: “The people in Old Dhaka are living on a bomb. The warehouses were not moved even 11 years after the Nimtoli tragedy.” He said such incidents will recur if the government does not take strong steps to protect the people’s lives and properties. “The chemicals stored in Old Dhaka and other areas pose a constant threat of deadly explosions. Necessary steps should be taken after finding out the reasons why the warehouses were not relocated even after the Nimtoli and Churihatta incidents,” he said adding that exemplary punishment should be meted out. Also read: BSEC moves to set up chemical warehouse at Tongi Adil lauded the city corporations for not issuing trade licences for chemical warehouses after the Nimtoli and Churihatta incidents. “The authorities concerned haven’t been able to successfully monitor the chemical warehouse and factories,” he said. Making Everyone Accountable BIP said that most of the chemical factories and warehouses in Old Dhaka were not constructed following building code and standard. “People are residing in the same building housing warehouses, a dangerous practice that has been going on for years,” he said. These warehouses were constructed out of greed, violating the rules. “Their existence has put a big question mark on our pledges to build a modern and livable city,” he said. Read Fire at Old Dhaka plastic factory brought under control Backtracking from an earlier decision to relocate chemical warehouses to multi-storey buildings in Keraniganj BSCIC Industrial Estate facing opposition from traders was delaying the relocation. The government decided to shift warehouses by building a plot-based industrial estate. Many house owners in Old Dhaka are illegally renting out their buildings to be used as chemical factories and warehouses to earn extra bucks. They themselves are living in other areas, leaving their tenants in danger. “This practice will continue until the house owners are brought under the law. Traders of illegal chemical factories and warehouses should be brought to book,” he said. “And, actions should be taken against the government officials concerned if they’ve neglected their work (in this regard).” Also read: Fire at Benapole port chemical warehouse

The law enforcers Thursday cordoned off an under-construction building near Chattogram's Kalurghat Radio Station as they found a bomb-like object along with a large stock of sticks and torches. Also read: Municipality polls: Ansar member among 3 hurt in crude bomb blast in Feni Chattogram Metropolitan Police's (CMP) Chandgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mustafizur Rahman said, "We are suspecting that the object and sticks were stored to orchestrate violence during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bangladesh visit." Tipped off, a large number of policemen sealed off the 10-storey building of Bashudha Builders – located opposite the Kalurghat Radio Station – at around 8pm, Mustafizur said. "After that, the police searched every floor of the building. One person was arrested while trying to flee during the drive." Also read: 2005 bomb blasts: 17 get different jail terms in Satkhira At one stage of the search, a large number of torches were found in a room on the third floor. The bomb disposal unit of CMP was called as a bomb-like object was found there, the OC said. It was also learned that the BNP planned to carry out a day-long programme on 26 March in Kalurghat Radio Station area – which bears the memory of its founder and former president Ziaur Rahman – on March 26 to mark the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's Independence. However, the programme was later postponed in response to the recent spike in Covid-19 infection and fatalities in the country. Also read: Series bomb blasts: Sylhet JMB leader gets life term

Police recovered a powerful bomb and materials used to make bomb from the house of suspected Neo-JMB member Sanaul Islam Sadi in Sylhet city’s Jalalabad residential area on Tuesday night.

Bhola, Sept 1 (UNB) –Police recovered 13 bomb-like objects from the roof of a toilet of a mosque in Prem Road area in the district town on Sunday.