Health Center Vandalized: 4 arrested, police negligence also being probed
The Radda MCH-FP Center in Dhaka's Mirpur was demolished in an attack carried out under the cover of darkness. Photo: Agamir Somoy
Four people have been arrested in connection with the vandalism and looting at the Radda MCH-FP Center in Mirpur-1, Dhaka. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed has said that whether there was any negligence on the part of the police in this incident will also be investigated.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed visited the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur—which had been demolished—this Saturday afternoon. Photo: Agamir Somoy.
The private health center was vandalized in the middle of the night last Thursday. Today, Saturday morning, measles vaccination was being carried out under a tarpaulin in front of the demolished building.
OC Jahangir Alam of Shah Ali Police Station told journalists this afternoon that four people have been arrested in the vandalism incident. During preliminary interrogation, they admitted their involvement. They have been sent to court.
The arrested individuals are Md. Sohel (22), Md. Jewel (23), Md. Jihad Hasan (21), and Md. Rabib (20).
Visiting the health center this afternoon, the DMP Commissioner told journalists that a three-member committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the DMP's Mirpur Division has been formed to investigate the incident. The committee has been asked to submit a report within one day.
In response to journalists' questions about why police could not prevent the attack despite a police station being nearby, the DMP Commissioner said that preventing such incidents falls within the police's responsibility. Whether there was any negligence by the police is being investigated.
"Since the incident occurred late at night, whether the police reached the scene on time is also being examined."
In the case filed over this incident, a person named Hanif Mia (50) has been named in the list of accused. He is a former member of Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP. More than two hundred unidentified people have also been made accused.
According to the case statement, around 12 midnight, 200 to 250 masked individuals entered the health center by climbing over the wall with machetes, hammers, and sticks. They beat two security guards and tied them to posts.
The attackers broke down the main gate, used heavy equipment to demolish the building, vandalized all rooms of the health center, and looted the health center's equipment, medicines, vaccines, cash, and other goods, according to the allegations in the case statement.
DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin said, "Such large-scale vandalism in a densely populated area cannot be carried out in a short time. It appears that the vandalism was carried out for a long period at the scene. Tin sheds on both sides of the health center have been broken, and signs of vandalism are visible in various parts of the building."
He said police have been instructed to arrest those involved in this attack.
He said, "Efforts are underway to arrest the named accused. At the same time, others involved in the incident will also be brought under the law. We will not consider any party or opinion. We will see who the criminal is. Whoever the criminal may be, we will bring them under the law."
