A gang of over 250 masked miscreants armed with local weapons stormed, vandalised, looted, and demolished the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1, Dhaka, around midnight on Thursday.
Wearing red cloths tied around their heads, the attackers entered the facility at around 12am under the banner of “Samanana Dokandar Samabay Samity Ltd,” held two on-duty security guards hostage, and took control of the clinic while barring members of the public from entering.
Using heavy machinery, the miscreants completely flattened the entire establishment, including one brick-built structure and three semi-brick buildings, leaving the surrounding neighbourhood in deep panic.
Following the destruction, the attackers installed a signboard reading “Samanana Dokandar Samabay Samity Ltd” on the premises. The healthcare institution claimed that the midnight siege was executed with the intention of illegally occupying ten katha of land.
The centre’s executive director Dr Nasrin Akhter revealed details of the incident on Friday morning, reporting an estimated overall financial loss of around Tk1.5 crore due to the looting and demolition.
According to the centre’s authorities, the looted items included government EPI vaccines, official vaccination registers and records, various family planning equipment and materials, medicines, and cash amounting to approximately Tk11,40,000.
The miscreants also carried away an ultrasonogram machine valued at around Tk45 lakh, one generator, three refrigerators, three air conditioners, CCTV cameras, three steel almirahs, five steel file cabinets, laboratory equipment and reagents, two televisions, two computers, two laptops, two printers, as well as chairs, tables, and other furniture.
Dr Akhter highlighted that the Radda MCH-FP Centre has been providing free primary healthcare, maternity, and family planning services to thousands of impoverished women and children in the area for nearly 50 years under a partnership with the government.
When contacted, Jahangir Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shah Ali Police Station under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), confirmed that a raid and vandalism had occurred at the facility.
He stated that a police team rushed to the scene on Thursday night upon receiving the news, adding that necessary legal measures would be initiated once the victims submit a formal complaint at the police station.
Meanwhile, Sajjadul Miraj, a top leader of the Dhaka Metropolitan Youth Dal, posted a protest on social media on Thursday night condemning the attack and raising questions regarding the role of the police during the incident.
