Four children have been injured in a crude bomb explosion near a madrasa in Madaripur.

The blast occurred on Saturday outside a house next to the Gopalpur Darussunnah Women’s Madrasa in Kalkini municipality, according to police.

The house is owned by Emon Sardar, who said he did not know how the explosion had occurred outside his home.

The injured students were identified by their first names as Minha, 10, Jannat, 9, Maimuna, 9, and Abida, 8.

They were taken to the Upazila Health Complex and the district hospital for treatment.

Hafizur Rahman, the madrasa’s administrator, said the explosion occurred suddenly beside the institution and injured the four children.

Kalkini Police Station chief Md Zahirul Alam said law enforcers went to the scene after being alerted to the blast.

An investigation is under way to determine the circumstances surrounding the explosion, he added.