At least 15 killed in Bangladesh cinema bombings

A series of near-simultaneous bomb blasts at four Bangladesh cinemas packed with families celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting…

A series of near-simultaneous bomb blasts at four Bangladesh cinemas packed with families celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan killed 15 people today and wounded nearly 300.

The bombs went off at movie theatres in and around the normally quiet tourist town of Mymenshingh, north of the capital, at 6 p.m (local time).

The theatres were full of nearly 2,000 men, women and children celebrating the Eid al-Fitr festival at the time.

Doctors said many of the wounded had lost limbs. "There have been seriously injured people admitted into hospitals. Police have launched an immediate investigation," an officer said.

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Police said no one had yet claimed responsibility for the blasts. No foreigners were among the dead.

"We have now recovered 14 bodies from the cinemas. The number of deaths may rise," police inspector Mr Abu Taleb said.

Doctors said another victim died in hospital, where some 50 victims were lying in critical condition.