25 December 2004	Saturday	12 Ziqa'ad 1425

DHAKA, Dec 24: A senior minister and nine others were injured on Friday when the minister was inaugurating a gas-pipeline in Narsingdi, 52kms south east of the capital.

The police and witnesses said the flames engulfed the Local government, Rural Development and Cooperatives minister, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and several other ruling party activists as the minister lighted the flame at a playground in the area where the function took place.

Bhuyian was given first aid at a local clinic and later removed to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka by a military helicopter.