Press statement on alleged explosion near President Pranab Mukherjee's hotel in Dhaka

A bomb exploded this afternoon in front of the hotel in Dhaka where President Pranab Mukherjee is staying on his official visit to Bangladesh. Nobody was injured.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan has issued this statement on the incident:

Life in and around the Hotel in Dhaka where the President is staying is completely normal. None of the delegation members heard any explosion nor knew of any such incident.  Bangladesh authorities have informed that about an hour back a crude cocktail was found and they are investigating into the matter. Indian security officials have expressed the view that this was a minor explosion. Bursting of such cocktails are common in Bangladesh during hartals and cannot be described as a bomb.

The President addressed 10,000 students in an open air pandal in the Dhaka University this morning to great acclamation from the students. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the President of Bangladesh who is also Chancellor of the University at the function. He is looking forward to meeting other dignitaries this afternoon and the President of Bangladesh once again this evening.