Petrol bomb attack alleged at coordinator Mahdi's home, police call claim ‘drama’

A former member secretary of the Habiganj district committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Mahdi Hasan, has alleged that petrol bombs were thrown at his house in Habiganj.

However, police said they found no evidence of such an attack after visiting the scene. They said the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.

Mahdi Hasan made the allegation during a Facebook Live broadcast from his account at around 12:30 am on Saturday (November 14).

He claimed that while he and his family members were asleep, two objects resembling stones suddenly landed on the tin roof of the house. A fire broke out shortly afterwards, leading him to suspect that something resembling a petrol bomb had been thrown at the house.

During the Facebook Live session, Mahdi showed footage of damage to the electricity meter at his uncle's house. He also claimed that fragments of a petrol bomb were scattered on the ground.

However, Officer-in-Charge of Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station Md Zahidul Haque rejected the allegation. He said police visited the scene after watching Mahdi's Facebook Live but found no evidence of a petrol bomb attack.

This is a drama by Mahdi Hasan. After watching his Facebook Live, I went to the scene but found no evidence of a petrol bomb being thrown, the OC said.

He further said that an auto-rickshaw battery was being charged at the house of Mahdi's uncle, Anwar, located around 20 to 30 yards from Mahdi's home. An electrical short circuit there triggered the fire, burning the electricity meter at his uncle's house.