Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader has said that the bomb attack on the police at the Science Laboratory intersection in the city on Saturday was probably a “test case” planning for a “big strike” in future.

 Quader, who is also the Awami League (AL) general secretary, however, claimed that the attack targeted police and not the minister as per the information given by the inspector general of police (IGP) and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner.

The minister quoted the IGP and DMP commissioner as saying that it was a “remote control attack”.

He told this to reporters at his Secretariat office yesterday.

When asked if politicians could be targeted in bomb attacks in future, Obaidul

Quader said: “We can’t say that ministers and members of the parliament (MPs) would not be targeted.”

“Members of militant outfits are active in the country, but law enforcement and intelligence agencies have controlled them. However, they have not been completely eliminated,” he added, He said similar attacks had taken place at Malibag, Gulisthan and Khezurbagan in the city earlier and a bigger attack may take place in future. In reply to a question, the minister said: “Militancy is not only a problem of Bangladesh, it is a global problem.”

He quoted the police as saying that there were no Islamic State (IS) activities in the country. “So, somebody was spreading propaganda on behalf of IS and it should be investigated,” he said.

The minister also said the law enforcement and intelligence agencies were put on alert and investigating the matter to find out the real facts of the incident.

Two policemen were injured in a bomb attack at the Science Laboratory intersection in the city around 9.20 pm on Saturday. They were escorting LGRD minister Md Tazul Islam through the area at that time.