Muslim shrine blast kills two

A bomb exploded at a gathering marking the anniversary of a Muslim saint’s death in Bangladesh today, killing two people and injuring about 35 others, police said.

The blast occurred at the 700-year-old shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet where thousands of his followers were chanting verses from Islamic holy book, the Koran, and singing Islamic songs,.

Followers gather at the shrine in Sylhet, 120 miles north-east of the capital Dhaka, on January 12 each year to pay respect to the saint who died in 1346.

Many faithful believe that the saint can perform miracles such as curing illness, centuries after his death.

Authorities have been investigating how 700 tropical fish died last month in a pond at the shrine. The fish were a major tourist attraction in the shrine where the saint was buried.