Bomb Blast at Bangladesh Church Kills 10, Injures 25
A bomb exploded inside a Catholic church during Mass on Sunday, killing at least 10 people and wounding 25 others in southwestern Bangladesh, police said.
Nine worshipers died instantly in the Christian Mission Church in Baniarchar, 100 miles southwest of the capital, Dhaka. Another died on the way to hospital.
“I was deep into prayer when I heard a big bang. The hall was engulfed in smoke. Everyone was screaming,” said Hubert Bairagi, one of the survivors.
Prime Minister Sheik Hasina Wajed condemned the bombing in her home district and ordered an immediate investigation. No one claimed responsibility.
Dozens of church members had gathered for morning prayers when the bomb went off behind a wooden shelf of bibles and religious books in one corner of the tin-roofed church, head priest Father Mimmo said in a telephone interview.
Religious attacks against Christians are rare in predominantly Muslim Bangladesh, where Christians account for a little more than 1% of the country’s 130 million people.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
