DHAKA, March 7, 2023 (BSS) - One more died from the fatal explosion at a building near to the BRTC bus counter at Gulistan in the city taking the death toll to 16-14 are men and two women.

"One more person succumbed to injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH)," confirmed BSS DMCH correspondent around 9pm.

Besides, seven critically injured people are being treated at the Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute while three of them are in very critical condition, he said, quoting DMCH duty doctors.

Earlier, our DMCH correspondent said nine critically injured persons were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMH) in the afternoon. A group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists and people from different walks of life were gathering at the DMCH to donate blood for the injured persons.

Firefighters first recovered four bodies from the spot and later, they also recovered four more bodies, duty officers of fire service headquarters Khaleda Yeasmin and Rashed Bin Khaled told BSS.

Later, seven more injured persons died at the hospital until the last update.

However, neither the fire service nor the DMCH authorities could confirm the identity of the victims and causes of the explosion.

The explosion took place around 4.45pm at a seven-storey building, mostly housing sanitary hardware stores alongside some private offices, rocking the entire area.

Fire officials said the blast occurred on the ground floor and it damaged some other floors upstairs but it caused no fire, though residents in the neighbourhood said huge dust-smoke engulfed the area.

"Eleven (fire fighting) units have been mobilized at the scene engaging some 200 firemen (to carry out the rescue campaign)," a fire service spokesman said earlier.

Police's counter terrorism unit, elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Bangladesh Army sent their bomb disposal units to the scene.

After visiting the injured people undergoing treatment at the DMCH, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruk told journalists that an investigation is underway to conform whether the Gulistan incident is sabotage or accident.

"The building has been turned into rubble. Bomb disposal experts and other officials concerned went to the scene. They are investigating whether the incident was sabotage or an accident," he said.

Earlier, he also visited the explosion site in Gulistan.