Update on the blast outside the Dhaka hotel where President Pranab Mukherjee is staying.

The President's Press Secretary Venu Rajamony said in a statement that "Bangladesh authorities have informed that about an hour back a crude cocktail was found and they are investigating into the matter".

"None of the delegation members heard any explosion nor knew of any such incident," the statement said. "Indian security officials have expressed the view that this was a minor explosion", it said, adding that "bursting of such cocktails are common in Bangladesh during hartals and cannot be described as a bomb".

The statement said, "life in and around the hotel in Dhaka, where the President is staying, is completely normal."

The President this morning addressed 10,000 students in an open air pandal in the Dhaka University to great acclamation from the students. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the President of Bangladesh who is also Chancellor of the University at the function.