Five people have suffered burns after a gas balloon exploded at a cultural event organised by the Gazipur District Police Lines.
However, all the victims are ‘out of danger’, doctors say.
The incident occurred on Friday evening, according to Assistant Commissioner Abu Sayem Nayan of the Gazipur Metropolitan Police.
The injured have been identified as comedy actor Abu Hena Rony, Mosharraf Hossain, Zillur Rahman, Imran Hossain and Rubel Hossain. Three of them have been sent to the Sheikh Hasina Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute for treatment.
Additional details were not available on the victims, reports bdnews24.com.
Police had organised an event at the field on Friday to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the formation of the Gazipur Metropolitan Police.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was chief guest at the event and Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed gave the main sppech. GMP Police Commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam moderated the event.
When the chief guest arrived, he was brought to the inaugural stage. He was given some balloons to release, but they would not fly away despite repeated efforts.
Some police personnel took the balloons away and stored them next to the stage, while the home minister continued on to the main stage.
“A bit later, some police personnel were scolding the balloon salesman because the balloons did not work,” said police official Nayan. “He tried to light the balloons and make them fly and they exploded.”
Five people who were near the incident suffered burns, Nayan said. Nearby police personnel doused the flames with water and promptly took the victims to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital.
Rony, Mosharraf and Zillur were given first aid and then taken to Dhaka for further treatment, Nayan said.
Rony suffered burns on 5 per cent of his body and is receiving treatment at the Sheikh Hasina Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, Molla Nazrul said.
