Tuesday, November 29 2005 20:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dhaka: At least nine people, including two policemen and an equal number of lawyers were killed and over 50 others injured today (Nov 29, 2005) in two separate bomb blasts in Bangladesh, described by police as the first ever suicide attacks in the country by suspected Islamic militants.

"This is the first suicide attack in Bangladesh," said Inspector General of Police Abdul Qaiyum after the blasts in south-eastern port city of Chittagong and nearby Gazipur.

No one claimed responsibility but the needle of suspicion immediately pointed to the militant group Jamayatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). "These were powerful homemade bombs. It seems Jamayatul Mujahideen have stepped up their attacks after we arrested many of their members," Qaiyum said.

"In Gazipur, the JMB members entered in the guise of lawyers wearing the gown," the police chief told sources.

The attacks came two days after purported members of al-Qaeda terror network sent fax messages threatening to blow up missions of US, UK and western countries.

Police sources said three people, two of them policemen and a possible attacker, were killed in Chittagong while six were killed in Gazipur.

But the toll may go up as the Government confirmed only five deaths while private sources put the toll at 13. The private NTV also earlier reported that at least 10 people were killed and 40 others injured in Gazipur.

A staffer at Dhaka Medical College Hospital also told sources that the death toll was likely to go up as many were critically injured. "Some of them have lost limbs or were severely burned," he said on condition of anonymity.

Witnesses said the bombs went off between 9 am and 9:45 am near courts in Gazipur and Chittagong.