The death toll from the explosion happened at a seven-storeyed commercial building near BRTC bus counter at Fulbaria in Gulistan on Tuesday afternoon has risen to 16.

Besides. more than 100 people who were others injured in the explosion have been undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Earlier, DMCH director Brigadier General Md Nazmul Huque said 16 people have been killed in the explosion. Besides, more than 100 injured people have been brought at the hospital.

It is being feared that the death toll may rise further.

In a press release received by the Daily Observer Online, Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters said that the explosion happened near the BRTC bus counter at about 4:50pm.

Eleven fire fighting units led by Fire Service and Civil Defence director (Operations and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury are working at the spot and supervising the rescue operations, said Rashed Bin Khaled, duty officer of Fire Service.

Five ambulances have been kept standby at the spot, he said.

He said the explosion happened at a multi-storeyed building near the BRTC bus counter at Fulbaria. "The death toll from the explosion has risen to eleven. It is being feared that the death toll may rise further. Dozens of people have been rescued alive from the building."

Officials of the Fire Service and Civil Defence said there is a sanitary shop on the ground floor of the seven-storyed building. There is an office of Brac Bank Limited and some floors were being used as residential purposes. Several floors of the building have been badly damaged in the explosion.

It is primarily being assumed that explosion might have happened from an explosion in an air-conditioner.

Police said the second and third floors of the building were being used as residential purposes. So, dead bodies may be lying there.

Earlier, the DMCH's police camp in-charge Bacchu Mia said more than 50 people who were injured in an explosion at a multi-storeyed building at Siddique Bazar area near Fulbaria BRTC bs counter are taking trewatment at the hospital. Three succumbed among the injured who were brought here. Of them, two were youths and a woman.