4 arrested over clinic vandalism in Mirpur

Shah Ali Police Station police have arrested four people over the attack, looting and vandalism at the Radda MCH-FP Centre in the capital's Mirpur. Although the arrest was confirmed around noon on Saturday, September 26, police did not disclose their identities.

Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jahangir Alam said the accused have admitted to carrying out the attack in exchange for money. They have been sent to court.

OC Jahangir Hossain acknowledged that police were present at the scene during the vandalism. However, he could not give a clear explanation to the question of why no one was detained from the scene despite the police presence.

Earlier, the attack and vandalism at the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1 occurred between 12am and 2am on Thursday night.

Organisation officials said a group of 200 to 250 masked people attacked there with local weapons. They held two security guards hostage, entered the clinic and carried out vandalism and looting. Later, they brought heavy machinery and demolished the entire establishment, including a pucca building and three semi-pucca buildings.

They further said the attackers looted medicines, vaccines, government immunisation programme registers and documents, family planning materials, an ultrasound machine, a generator, refrigerators, air conditioners and cash. In total, the damage will amount to more than Tk 1.5 crore.

In this incident, Radda Executive Director Nasrin Akhter filed a case with Shah Ali Police Station as the plaintiff. Police said yesterday that the case named Mirpur BNP leader Md Hanif Mia and made 200 to 250 unidentified people accused. They were accused of trespassing, theft, threats and causing damage worth more than Tk 1.5 crore. Hanif Mia, however, denied involvement in the incident.

Questions have also been raised over the role of police after the incident. Yesterday, Shah Ali Police Station OC Jahangir Alam told the media that police went to the scene at night after receiving the news and saw a curious crowd there, and legal action would be taken if a case was filed.

On the other hand, today he said police were present at the scene during the vandalism. When asked how such large-scale vandalism and demolition of the establishment continued in the presence of police and why no one was detained then, Jahangir Hossain did not give a clear explanation.

Meanwhile, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan visited the scene and said efforts are underway to identify and arrest those involved in the incident by examining camera footage. He said if there is any dispute over land or an establishment, it must be resolved through legal process.

Radda MCH-FP Centre authorities said that since 1976, the organisation has been providing primary healthcare, maternal and family planning services to poor and low-income people in partnership with the government. The government EPI programme was also conducted there.