Two bombs detonated yesterday, January 8th , inside the Dhaka "diplomatic enclave", one at the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headquarters in Baridhara on Road 12 and the other approximately 100 yards from a former law minister’s residence in Gulshan (on Gulshan Avenue near Road 54). The bombs were small devices locally called "cocktail bombs." "Cocktail bombs" are made of small cans (smaller than a soda can) and contain a small amount of explosive material. These bombs did not include shrapnel. The police stated that it is likely the bombs were placed at these areas to create panic. There were no injuries associated with these detonations. The police have increased patrols and presence inside the diplomatic enclave.

Today there are few vehicles traveling on the streets in Dhaka with the exception of bicycle rickshaws. People are not traveling between Dhaka and other parts of the country to avoid damage to their vehicles by demonstrators.

Yesterday, violence between the police and demonstrators in Dhaka was significant. The skirmishes between the demonstrators and police resulted in approximately 400 injuries throughout the country and more than 50 in Dhaka. The military is still deployed to assist in enforcing civil order and arrest authority will be granted to them beginning on January 10, 2007.

We recommend that Dutch citizens continue to monitor announcements that are published in the local press or announced in the local media.

English language news is available on the following channels at the following times:

ATN – 18:00

Banglavision – 21:05

BTV – 22:00

BTV – 23:30 (also broadcast by all local Satellite stations: ATN, Channel I, NTV, RTV, Banglavision Channel 1, Boishaki)