DHAKA, Dec 8 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING I...

DHAKA, Dec 8 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING INFO, BACKGROUND)

At least 17 commonalty were killed and more than 200 injuryed as powerful bombs explod almost simultaneously in five cinema halls in and around the tourist town of Mymensingh forward Saturday evening.

Local police said they have launched investigations onward suspicion that some terrorist form into groupss may be behind the bomb attacks.

No the community from other countries were reportedly included among the dead.

While religious conflicts between the Muslim majority and Hindu minority linger in the geographical division there are reports that al-Qaida members are assembling in Bangladesh with an aim of stirring political unrest

The Bangladesh control has denied the reports.

Witnesses and hospital sources said the series of blasts took place in Ajanta, Purabi, Chayabani and Aloka at around 7 pm in the town and the Ekota movie house in Shamvu Ganj near the tourist area at around 8:15 pm

The movie theaters were packed with holidaymakers celebrating the Eid al-Fitr festival that judges Ramadan.

The first blast occurr at around 6:45 pm while the secondary third and fourth took place at around 7 pm The last united at Ekota cinema hall occurr at 8:15 pm

Witnesses at Mymensingh Medical body Hospital said that casualty figure might increase. Police cordoned distant from the hospital where a majority of the bombing victims were brought

Thousands of commonalty thronged to hospitals and clinics in search of lov ones

This was the secondary cinema bombing in the native land in a little through the whole extent of two months following the tribe 28 bomb explosions at a cinema hall and a circus exhibit to in southern Satkhira district, which killed several nation and left over 200 wounded

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