4 sent to jail over vandalism, looting at healthcare centre in Mirpur

A Dhaka court on Saturday sent four suspects to jail in connection with the attack on Radda MCH-FP healthcare centre in the capital’s Mirpur-1 area.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Siddik Azad passed the jail order after the investigating officer, Shah Ali Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Atowar Rahman, applied to keep them in jail until the investigation is completed.

Earlier, around Saturday noon, the four were arrested from different parts of Mirpur, said Shah Ali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jahangir Hossain.

In preliminary interrogation, all the four arrestees – Md Sohel, 22, Md Jewel, 23, Jihad Hasan, 21, and Md Rabbi, 20 – have confessed that they took part in the midnight vandalism and looting of the Radda health facility in exchange for cash from others.

The arrestees, three of whom are vagabonds, have been sent to the court, while operations continue to arrest the remaining suspects, said OC Jahangir Hossain.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Shafiqul Islam Khan has visited the vandalised area and has confirmed that drives are continuing to arrest all involved by reviewing CCTV footages of the incident.

If the attack was conducted out of property or land dispute, the concerned parties must seek legal recourse, he told reporters after visiting the spot.

Radda MCH-FP Executive Director Nasrin Akter has filed a lawsuit with the Shah Ali Police Station over the vandalism and looting. In the case statement, she has alleged that local BNP leader Hanif Mia orchestrated the attack and looting of goods worth Tk1.5 crore.

In the case statement, 200-250 other unidentified individuals have been accused.

Hanif has denied involvement. Police later confirmed to reporters that personnel were present at the scene when the vandalism was taking place, but did not comment when asked why no attacker was detained red-handed.

Around 12am on Saturday, a group of 200-250 masked men attacked the health facility. They took the two security guards hostage, and vandalised the area.

They beat and tied up the two security guards: Andriya Sarkar, 43, and Md Abdul High, 63.