Sudha Sadan on fire, fire service stayed away due to security concerns

Awami League president Sheikh Hasina’s residence Sudha Sadan was still on fire Thursday morning. However, the fire service did not go there due to “lack of security”. People were seen taking away anything available from there.

The agitated mob set fire to the house around 10:30 pm after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence at Dhanmondi 32 was vandalised and torched.

Fire Service and Civil Defenec Dhaka Zone deputy director Md Saleh Uddin told Prothom Alo, “It was not possible to go there (Sudha Sadan). So we didn’t go.”

Speaking to Prothom Alo this morning, fire service Dhaka control room mobilising officer Khaleda Yeasmin said, “We received the news of the fire at Sudha Sadan at around 11:00 pm. However, there were not enough security measures there. So we couldn’t go there.”

Sudha Sadan was still on fire at the time this correspondent visited the spot around 10:45 am this morning. Various household stuff, including refrigerator, beds, wardrobe and sofa, were lying in front of the buildings. The tiles of the building have been removed in some places. There was a burning smell all around.

All rooms on the ground floor of the building have been burnt to ashes. So were the furniture and other stuff on the ground floor. Shattered window glasses were scattered all around. There were a number of books all throughout the house. Many of the books were burnt. Enthusiastic people thronged there. There were no members of the law enforcement agencies at the spot even after 11:00 am.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, Dhanmondi Society security guards said, “Some 10-12 men came after 10.30 pm yesterday and set the house on fire. As the fire spread inside the building, the locals came and cut off the gas and electricity lines. Later, residents of an adjacent building showed up and doused the fire to some extent on the ground floor.

Various rooms on the second, third and fourth floor of the building were still on fire at 12:00 am Thursday.

Agitated student-people demonstrated in a large scale across the country on Wednesday centering an announcement of a speech to be broadcast by ousted autocratic prime minister Sheikh Hasina who fled to India.

Sharif Osman Hadi, convener of Inquilab Mancha and member of Jatiya Nagorik Committee, in several Facebook posts warned of razing the Dhanmondi 32 to the ground on Wednesday afternoon.

Later, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement convener Hasnat Abdullah in a Facebook post at 6:25 pm said “Bangladesh will be freed from the pilgrimage of fascism tonight (Wednesday)”.

The agitators started the vandalism, breaking into the house of Sheikh Mujib around 8:00 pm. They also tore down the mural of Sheikh Mujib constructed in front of the house. The vandalism began from there.