Incident Summary:
04/14/2001: Nine people, including the bomber, were killed and at least twenty more were wounded when a remote-controlled bomb was detonated in a crowded open air concert celebrating the Bengali New Year in Dahka, Bangladesh. It was thought that this attack was part of a larger plot in which at least four people were carrying bombs to be detonated at the event. Sources suggest that this was not supposed to be a suicide attack, but that one bomber was killed and at least two were injured in the explosion. Another bomb exploded in the concert shortly after the first. No details regarding property damage were reported. Although no group claimed responsibility for the attack, the leader of Harkat-ul Jihad Islami, Mufti Abdul Hannan, was ultimately sentenced to death in connection with the attack.
Overview
GTD ID:
200104140007
When:
2001-04-14
Country:
Bangladesh
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Dhaka
City:
Dhaka
Location Details:
The Iush Ramna Park, near the main stage during an open-air concert, in Dhaka district
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Private citizens and property at the open-air concert in Iush Ramna Park |
Specific Description |
Citizens and property at the concert |
Nationality of Target |
Bangladesh |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Remote Trigger |
Weapon Details |
Authorities claimed the bombs were thought to have been remote-triggered, and were smuggled into the concert in a wrapped gift box. This was thought to be a coordinated plot involving four bombers, one of whom was killed and at least another two injured. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Sawdhin, the captured bomber, was a Dhaka College student. He was captured in the Demra area of Matuail. A man named Jashim was thought to be the bomber killed in the explosion, while two men, Ibrahim and Mahbub, were the other two bombers who were injured in the explosion. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
4 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
1 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
9 Fatalities / 20 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
9 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
1 |
Total Number of Injured |
20 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
2 |
Sources
Sources
"Bangladeshis mourn Bengali new year tragedy," Reuters, April 15, 2001. |
Paul, Ruma, "Bangladesh executes three Islamists for 2004 attack on British envoy," Reuters, April 12, 2017. |
"Bombing suspect remanded for further investigation," Xinhua News Agency, April 15, 2001. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties