At least 18 people were killed and over 200 wounded, including seven policemen, in a series of blasts at an Awami League rally in front of the opposition party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue Saturday afternoon. Sheikh Hasina, former prime minister and AL president who led the rally along with top-ranking leaders of the main opposition party, narrowly escaped. One of her personal bodyguards, Mahbub Alam, was among the dead.
AL presidium member Suranjit Sengupta MP, central leader Ivy Rahman, former lawmaker Akhtaruzzaman and Sheikh Selim were among 200 of the wounded taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, General Hospital, Samorita Hospital and different city clinics. Ivy was taken straight to the operation theatre where the doctors had to amputate both her legs. She was later shifted to Dhaka Combined Military Hospital.