Powerful Bomb Found in Schoolbag on Faridpur Bridge

A potentially catastrophic attack was narrowly averted in Faridpur after a powerful improvised explosive device (IED), concealed inside a schoolbag, was safely neutralised by members of the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU). The device was discovered on the Ashimuzzaman Bridge, a key thoroughfare in the district, triggering an extensive security operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies.

According to officials, the bomb was successfully rendered safe on Sunday morning (11 January) at around 10:00 am using specialised procedures. The operation was conducted in the Goalchamat area along the banks of the Kumar River, where the device was surrounded with sandbags before a controlled detonation was carried out. Authorities confirmed that no injuries or damage were reported during the operation.

ATU Inspector Shankar Kumar Ghosh stated that the recovered device was a high-powered, remote-controlled IED equipped with an independent power supply. He emphasised that the bomb was extremely dangerous and capable of causing significant destruction. “During the controlled explosion, the device propelled upwards by nearly 15 feet, which clearly demonstrates its destructive potential,” he said. “Had it detonated in a populated area or on the bridge itself, the consequences could have been severe, including mass casualties and extensive structural damage.”

The bomb was first discovered on Saturday (10 January) at approximately 12:30 pm following intelligence reports suggesting the presence of an explosive hidden within a pile of firewood stacked on the bridge. Acting on the tip-off, the army cordoned off the area from the early hours of Saturday morning. A joint operation was then launched involving the police, the army, and other law enforcement agencies.

During the search, officers recovered a schoolbag concealed inside the firewood. Upon inspection, a bomb-like object wrapped with adhesive tape was found inside the bag. Given the immediate risk to public safety, the object was swiftly removed from the bridge and transported to a safer location beneath Alipur Bridge, along the Kumar River. There, it was secured with sandbags and closely guarded until bomb disposal experts arrived.

Faridpur District Police Additional Superintendent (Sadar Circle) Azmir Hossain explained that the object was not touched until specialists had fully assessed the threat. “We maintained heightened security in the surrounding areas to ensure public safety,” he said, adding that traffic and public movement were restricted as a precautionary measure.

The incident has raised serious concerns about public safety and possible sabotage attempts in the region. Investigations are currently underway to determine who planted the device, how it was transported, and what the intended target may have been. Security agencies have increased surveillance across the district in response.

Key details of the incident are summarised below:

Thanks to timely intelligence and coordinated action by security forces, a major disaster was prevented. Authorities have assured the public that all necessary measures are being taken to identify those responsible and to prevent similar threats in the future.