250kg bomb found buried in Dhaka airport, possibly from 1971

A 250kg bomb was found buried at the construction site of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka today.

Workers first saw the cylinder-like bomb about three metres deep when they were excavating for construction work of the third terminal around 9:00am, said a high official of the security department of the airport.

The 250kg bomb was found buried at the construction site of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka today. Photo courtesy: Director, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

"It is a live bomb weighing 250kg. There are explosives inside of it. It is usually called a general purpose bomb," the official said, wishing to remain anonymous.

Photo courtesy: Director, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

HSIA Director Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan told The Daily Star that as soon as the matter came to their notice, the authorities informed the bomb disposal unit of Bangladesh Air Force.

On information, the bomb disposal unit of the Air Force's Bangabandhu Base rushed to the spot and defused the bomb, said Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR).

Later, the bomb was taken to Rasulpur Firing Range in Paharkanchanpur with the necessary precaution to destroy it in a safe place, ISPR said in a press release.

Bomb experts believe that the bomb was dropped sometime during the Liberation War in 1971, it said.