A major security alert was triggered on Tuesday morning after two powerful grenades were discovered planted inside a flowerpot outside the main gate of Hazrat Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi. The explosives were safely rendered harmless by a specialist bomb disposal team later in the afternoon, but the incident has raised severe concerns regarding the efficacy of security protocols surrounding key aviation infrastructure.
Initial reports from authorities had classified the objects as grenade-like items. However, subsequent forensic evaluation by law enforcement confirmed them to be fully functional, highly destructive explosive devices.
The security breach coincided with the arrival of the Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, who landed on a domestic flight from Dhaka shortly before the discovery. To ensure his safety, security personnel diverted the minister through the airport’s rear exit before escorting him onwards to Bogura via road, bypassing the main terminal entirely.
The discovery occurred around 11:00 AM on 10 November, when a local pedestrian noticed the suspicious items concealed within the greenery at the airport perimeter. The bystander promptly alerted an assistant sub-inspector attached to the Romeo-81 patrol unit of the Baya police outpost, under the jurisdiction of the Airport Police Station.
Officers quickly relayed the warning to the officer-in-charge, triggering an immediate lockdown of the main entryway by members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) stationed at the complex. To prevent overcrowding and maintain terminal operations, airport authorities opened an auxiliary access point near the adjacent mosque, allowing passengers to enter and exit under heightened security.
The presence of the devices has sparked widespread disquiet among travelers and civil aviation observers. According to official airport logs, three armed APBN personnel were on active perimeter duty right beside the main gate throughout the period. Questions are now mounting over how perpetrators managed to bypass armed sentries in broad daylight to plant live munitions at the primary entrance of a national airport.
The Bomb Disposal Unit of the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) swiftly cordoned off the perimeter and recovered the devices. The explosives were subsequently transported to an isolated sandy pit in a field at Pakuria within Paba Upazila, where technicians conducted a controlled detonation. The blast was so powerful that shockwaves were felt across a radius of nearly one kilometre.
Investigating officers noted that the high-yield grenades are not part of the standard arsenal used by Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies. Preliminary assessments by police suggest the munitions may have been manufactured in Myanmar.
RMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Md Gaziur Rahman confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway to identify those responsible for transporting and depositing the weapons. Meanwhile, Airport Police Station Officer-in-Charge Robiul Islam confirmed that all passengers present during the incident, including the visiting minister, were safely evacuated via alternative routes without casualty.
