Police are investigating the incident and trying to identify the attacker. (Representational)
A Bangladesh minister survived a bomb blast targeting him which hit his security team's car instead and injured two police officials in Dhaka, a media report said today.
The bomb was thrown from the footbridge at the Science Lab intersection on Saturday night when Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives minister Tazul Islam was passing through the area, the Daily Star reported, quoting the police and eyewitnesses.
The minister was unhurt in the attack.
"Six policemen were in the minister's security team and the minister was going to a programme of Border Guard Bangladesh. We got stuck at the traffic lights at Science Lab intersection. The bomb exploded when I got off (from the escort vehicle) and walked ahead to ask traffic police to clear the way for the minister," the paper quoted injured police official AB Shahabuddin as saying.
Traffic constable Aminul Islam was also injured in the blast.
Mr Aminul suffered splinter injuries to his right hand fingers while Mr Shahabuddin had injuries to his legs, one of which had a fracture. They are at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and out of danger, said a doctor.
"Police are investigating the incident and trying to identify the attacker by scrutinising the CCTV footage," said Asaduzzaman Miah, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
Hours after the blast, SITE Intelligence Group, an American company that tracks online activity of white supremacist and terrorist organisations, said the ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.
An official, requesting anonymity, told the paper that the bomb was similar to the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) recovered at the capital's Paltan and Khamarbari on July 24.
"We suspect that the same group who planted the IED's at Paltan and Khamarbari are behind this attack. But investigation could prove that," the officer said.
On May 26, two people, including a woman police officer, were injured after a bomb went off near a police pickup in the Malibagh intersection.