The Islamic State extremist group claimed credit on Friday for a botched suicide attack outside the future headquarters of the Rapid Action Battalion, Bangladesh’s elite police force, bringing an apparent end to an extended lull in militant activities.
The Islamic State’s news agency took credit for the attack in an Arabic message distributed via Telegram, a messaging service. Shortly afterward, the same statement went out on the agency’s Bengali-language service.
On Thursday, police made a bloody raid on a hide-out in Chittagong that they said was used by militants affiliated with the Islamic State.
Four suspected militants were killed in the raid, including one woman and a 6-month-old, said Noor E Alam Mina, the superintendent of police for Chittagong district.
Officials said security has been increased at international and domestic airports and prisons in the country have been placed on alert.
An unknown assailant carrying a bomb entered the battalion’s compound, where a few troops were staying and some construction was going on, said Commander Mufti Mahmud Khan, a spokesman for the unit.
Two officials confronted the assailant and the bomb exploded, wounding both officials and killing the assailant, Mr. Khan said. The police suspect that the assailant “was a member of a militant organization” but are not certain which one, he said.