A handmade bomb exploded near the site of a token hunger-strike by business groups in Dhaka demanding that the export-oriented readymade garment (RMG) sector be kept out of the purview of the ongoing transport blockade sponsored by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) since Jan 5.
The blast was reported at 12.25 p.m. Saturday in front of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Bhaban, bdnews24.com reported.
Traffic in the area had come to a standstill after the explosion.
Apex trade body Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) Feb 8 claimed Bangladesh suffered a loss of at least 750 billion taka (about $9.5 million) since Jan 5 due to disruptions caused by the blockade.
Business groups and chambers have been requesting the BNP to call off its agitation which has severely affected the shipment of goods.