Two Powerful Grenades Found, Security Concerns Raised

Two powerful grenades discovered inside a flower bed near the main entrance of Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi were later safely detonated and neutralised, police have confirmed.

The discovery has raised serious questions about airport security, particularly how the explosive devices were placed near the main entrance despite the presence of armed security personnel.

A local passerby spotted the suspicious objects at around 11:00am on Tuesday (November 10) and alerted police officers on duty.

Following the report, security was tightened across the airport premises. Members of the bomb disposal unit later carried out a controlled explosion to neutralise the grenades.

The information was confirmed by Md Gaziur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP).

At the same time, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku arrived at the airport on a flight from Dhaka.

For security reasons, the minister was escorted out through the airport's rear gate instead of the main entrance.

According to sources, the minister had been staying in the VIP lounge after arriving in Rajshahi. He was taken out through the rear entrance and sent by road towards Bogura.

Police said a passerby spotted the two grenades and informed an assistant sub-inspector assigned to the Romeo-81 patrol vehicle at the Baya Police Outpost under Airport Police Station. The officer immediately notified the officer-in-charge of the police station.

Following the alert, airport authorities and members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), responsible for security at the main entrance, closed the gate as a precautionary measure.

The closure triggered panic among passengers. An alternative entrance near the airport mosque was opened to facilitate passenger movement.

According to airport authorities, three armed APBn personnel were assigned to round-the-clock security beside the main entrance.

Despite this security arrangement, how the grenades were placed there without being detected remains unclear, raising concerns among passengers and other stakeholders.

Police said the RMP Bomb Disposal Unit quickly reached the scene, cordoned off the area and recovered the explosive devices.

The grenades were subsequently transported to an open field in the Pakuria area of Paba Upazila. There, bomb disposal personnel placed them in a sand-filled pit and carried out a controlled detonation to neutralise them safely.

The force of the explosion was reportedly felt across an area of approximately one kilometre.

Police officials said the highly destructive grenades were not used by Bangladesh's law enforcement agencies. They suspect the devices may have been manufactured in Myanmar.

An investigation has been launched to identify those responsible for placing the grenades near the airport entrance and establish their motive.

Although the main entrance was temporarily closed as a precaution, an alternative access point remained open to ensure passenger movement.

Officer-in-Charge of Rajshahi Airport Police Station Robiul Islam said all passengers, including the minister, were escorted out through the rear entrance following the discovery.

RMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Gaziur Rahman said the grenades had been removed from the airport premises and safely neutralised at the designated location in Pakuria.

He added that authorities were investigating who had placed the explosive devices near the main entrance and why.

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