Names of several local leaders emerge in background to attack

Information has emerged about several local figures involved in gathering the attackers, supplying locally made weapons and equipment, and arranging an excavator used to demolish the Radda MCH-FP Centre, a mother and child health centre in Mirpur, Dhaka.

They are associated with local BNP politics. Before the attack, miscreants gathered in front of their offices and later went from there to attack the health centre.

Information about the planning of the attack was obtained by speaking to local residents, law enforcement officials and several other sources, as well as by reviewing CCTV footage.

After demolishing the health centre, the attackers put up a signboard and banners bearing the name “Like-Minded Shopkeepers Cooperative Society Limited”. Information has also emerged about the involvement of several local BNP leaders in the activities of this cooperative.

They are known locally as close associates of Ferdousi Ahmed (Misty), a BNP lawmaker from a reserved women’s seat. Ferdousi Ahmed, however, has denied any involvement in the attack.

Ten people have so far been arrested by police in the incident, which has drawn nationwide attention over the past three days. Police have not provided any clear information on whether anyone allegedly behind the attack has been brought under the law.

Meanwhile, Shah Ali police station officer-in-charge (OC) Jahangir Alam was withdrawn yesterday, Sunday, after preliminary evidence of inaction and negligence of duty was found in connection with the incident.

The attack on the facility, which provides healthcare to disadvantaged and low-income people, took place around midnight last Thursday. Between 200 and 250 people spent several hours demolishing the health centre with various tools. Two security guards at the facility were held hostage, while medical equipment, medicines, vaccines and other items were looted. The health centre, including one permanent and three semi-permanent buildings, was demolished using an excavator. The attackers then put up two signboards and two banners bearing the name of the cooperative.

The organisation filed a case with Shah Ali police station over the incident. The case names Mohammad Hanif Mia, a former member of the BNP’s Dhaka North City unit, and 250 unidentified others as accused.

Local sources said that although police went to the scene after receiving information from various sources, they made no attempt to stop the attack or arrest the miscreants.

People gathered and weapons collected before the attack

Speaking to local residents and businesspeople, it was learned that many of those involved gathered in front of the offices of former convener of Shah Ali thana unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Abul Kalam Azad alias Lenin, and BNP leader Hanif Mia, who is named as an accused in the case, before the attack around midnight on Thursday. They later went from there to attack the health centre.

CCTV footage from a nearby camera shows people gathering in front of Lenin’s office, beside the B-Block field, at around 12:05am on Thursday. Footage from several markets adjacent to the health centre also shows a white microbus moving around the area during the incident.

According to local residents and sources familiar with the matter, Hanif Mia, Abul Kalam and former member secretary of Dhaka City Jubo Dal Mostafa Jaglul Pasha alias Papel, along with several others, drove around the area in a white microbus and issued instructions during the attack and vandalism.

Several calls were made to Lenin, Hanif and Papel to obtain their comments, but their phones were switched off. They were also sent text messages but did not respond.

Sources said the attackers came from in front of Abul Kalam and Hanif’s offices and collected locally made weapons—including sticks, machetes and hammers—from a location near Chhinamul Market, adjacent to the health centre.

Before heading to the health centre, they covered their heads with cloth and wore masks. The vandalism and looting at the scene were led by Awlad Hossain alias Nada Awlad, joint general secretary of Shah Ali thana unit Chhatra Dal, and Mohammad Elias, joint convener of BNP’s Ward no. 93 unit.

The investigation also found that the excavator used in the demolition was arranged by Maruf, a former joint secretary of Shah Ali thana unit Chhatra Dal. A man named Soleman assisted him. Soleman does not hold any party post.

Links between the Cooperative and local leaders

Hanif Mia, Abul Kalam and Mostafa Jaglul Pasha are all known locally as close associates of reserved-seat lawmaker Ferdousi Ahmed. Banners and posters have appeared in the area identifying Abul Kalam as a candidate for councillor in ward no. 8.

Although no banners or festoons bearing Hanif’s name were seen, local residents said he also wants to contest for the councillor’s post in the ward. He is a relative of Ferdousi Ahmed.

According to local businesspeople and sources familiar with the matter, efforts had been underway for a long time to occupy the health centre’s premises under the banner of the Like-Minded Shopkeepers Cooperative Society.

Gazi Shah Alam, Abdur Rahim Hazra and others associated with the cooperative had previously been involved in Awami League politics. After 5 August 2024, they became involved in the cooperative’s activities in coordination with some local BNP leaders.

Several members of the same family, including Mizan Hazra, Ismail Hazra and Nur Islam Hazra, are also associated with the cooperative.

Sources said the cooperative had been operating under Hanif’s instructions since the BNP came to power. There are also allegations that he controls other cooperatives in the Shah Ali police station area. These individuals associated with the cooperative also took part in a human chain organised by the cooperative the day after the health centre was demolished.

The cooperative’s address is listed as Baishakhi Super Market, near Mirpur no. 1 bus stand. Yesterday afternoon, the cooperative’s office on the fourth floor of the market was found closed.

Shopkeepers nearby said the room is often kept locked and that several people occasionally come there for meetings. They said they did not know in detail who was on the committee. The office has not opened since the incident.

Asked about the matter, lawmaker Ferdousi Ahmed told Prothom Alo yesterday evening that she became a ward commissioner in 2002. While serving as commissioner, she applied in 2006, with her signature, for the land to be allocated in the name of the cooperative. She said she had had no further involvement with the cooperative since then.

Regarding her association with those allegedly involved in the attack, Ferdousi Ahmed said, “I am not involved in this incident. I do not know anything beyond that.”

Earlier, on Friday evening, Ferdousi Ahmed had told Prothom Alo that although her name was associated with the cooperative, she was not involved in the vandalism. She said a case had been filed and that police should investigate the matter in accordance with the law.

Police inaction, OC withdrawn

Police sources said Shah Ali police station OC Jahangir Alam was informed of the vandalism on the night of the incident. He went to the scene with a police team shortly afterwards. However, the sources alleged that he took no initiative to arrest or restrain the attackers.

According to the sources, the OC provided senior officials with false information about the vandalism. He reportedly told them that people with valid documents were taking possession of their own property. He even arranged for a senior police official to speak by phone with one of the alleged occupiers that night.

Police sources said a committee formed to investigate the police’s negligence submitted its report to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner on Saturday night. Following the report, Jahangir Alam was withdrawn from his post as OC and attached to DMP headquarters.

At a briefing at the Secretariat yesterday afternoon, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said preliminary evidence had been found of police inaction and negligence of duty in the attack, looting and vandalism. The OC had been immediately withdrawn and departmental proceedings were being initiated against him. He said strict action was being taken against the perpetrators regardless of political affiliation.

“The offender has no political identity. An offender is simply an offender,” he said.

Ten arrested, stolen goods recovered

Shah Ali police arrested four young men—Mohammad Sohel, 22, Mohammad Jewel, 23, Jihad Hasan, 21, and Mohammad Rabbi, 20—on Friday night on allegations of involvement in the vandalism.

Police sources said Jewel lived in Korlapara in Shah Ali Bagh, while the other three were young men living on the streets around Shah Ali Mazar. Investigating officers said they had taken part in the vandalism in exchange for money.

Another six people were arrested on Saturday evening. Five were arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) in Shahbagh, while the other was arrested by Shah Ali police. They are Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, 33; Kazi Mokbul Hossain, 58; Mohammad Shah Alam, 53; Mohammad Atikur Rahman, 33; Mohammad Kamrul Islam, 52; and Mohammad Shakil, 20. They were sent to jail through the court yesterday. Shah Alam is reportedly a member of the Like-Minded Cooperative.

Police said 46 types of items looted from the health centre—including furniture, vaccines, registers, a refrigerator, office documents, a printer and a generator—were recovered from an area near the embankment in Darus Salam. Two covered vans used to transport the goods were also seized.

Investigators said they were trying to determine who brought the excavator to the scene and who led the attack.

Healthcare services continue in front of the ruins

Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Islam visited the health centre yesterday afternoon. Addressing the staff, he said, “The way the facility was vandalised is unexpected. Everyone involved in this incident will be arrested. We want to complete the renovation work quickly so that you can continue your ongoing activities from inside.”

National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain visited the site in the morning. He criticised the role of the government and law enforcement agencies and demanded that those involved be brought to justice.

At one point, the signboard of the Like-Minded Shopkeepers Cooperative Society put up by the attackers was removed. Later, Tasnim Jara also visited the health centre, questioned the role of police and demanded justice.

The Radda MCH-FP Centre began providing maternal and child healthcare services to disadvantaged and low-income people in Mirpur in 1974. The facility had been providing a range of services, including child vaccination, child healthcare, reproductive healthcare and family planning.

For the second consecutive day after the health centre was demolished, its staff provided services to patients yesterday in front of the ruins. From morning until 3:00pm, more than 50 women and children received limited services on the road in front of the main gate. Staff said 37 children were vaccinated.

The centre also provided pregnant women with low-cost ultrasonography, various diagnostic tests and treatment. Those services are now suspended, and many people are coming to the centre only to be turned away.

Nasrin Akhter, executive director of the organisation, told Prothom Alo, “Our only demand is that the government investigate the matter based on the billboard that was put up.”

Manowara Begum had come to seek a physician’s advice. But she was returning after seeing the crowd that had gathered to look at the destruction. She told Prothom Alo, “Where will poor people like us go now?”