<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The cause behind the explosion in the 5-storey Gulistan building will be known after examining the samples collected from the site, said Major Morshed Alam, director of bomb disposal unit of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).</span><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Primary samples were collected from the blast site and sent to laboratory for test and the actual reason behind the explosion could be known after examining the samples,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We entered the damaged building carefully and it appeared that it is not an incident of fire, it’s an explosion. The level of explosion was huge,”Major Morshed said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There might be multiple reasons including leakage of gas pipeline behind the blast and there is a little possibility of air conditioner blast, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, a dog squad team is working there to check whether there is any existence of human alive or dead inside the building, said Morshed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 others injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the injured, 11 people have been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three firefighting units resumed the rescue operation around 9 am, said Khaleda Yeasmin, duty officer of the Fire Service Control Room, around 11 am.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A four-member probe body headed by Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Operation and maintenance), has been formed to look into the explosion .</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The committee has been asked to submit its report within five working days, said Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Additional Director of Fire service and Civil Defense headquarters media cell. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>