The office of a non-profit in Mirpur-1, Dhaka, was vandalised and looted by a mob of around 250 people in a midnight attack, with its executive director later filing a case against a named individual and 200–250 unidentified assailants.
Nasrin Akhter, executive director of Radda MCH-FP Centre, said that the attackers demolished the centre and put up a signboard reading ‘Somomona Dokandar Samity Ltd’ in front of the property after occupying it.
The attack took place early Friday at the centre on Plot-9, Main Road, Section-1, Mirpur. The attackers allegedly held two security guards hostage before entering the centre, vandalising the premises, and looting equipment and valuables.
Nasrin said the attackers stole government Expanded Programme on Immunisation vaccines, vaccination registers and documents, family planning equipment and supplies, general medicines, cash worth around Tk 11.4 lakh, an ultrasonogram machine worth around Tk 45 lakh, a generator, three refrigerators, three air conditioners, closed-circuit television cameras, steel cupboards, file cabinets, laboratory equipment and reagents, two televisions, two computers, two laptops, two printers, and other furniture.
The attackers later demolished one concrete and three semi-concrete structures at the centre, she said.
‘The attackers destroyed property worth around Tk 1.5 crore and the centre’s services have been completely disrupted,’ she added.
According to Nasrin, Radda MCH-FP Centre has been providing free primary healthcare, maternity care, immunisation and family planning services to underprivileged mothers and children for around 50 years in partnership with the government.
Following the attack, all health services at the centre remain suspended.
A government measles-rubella vaccination campaign was scheduled to begin at the centre on Saturday.
Radda stated that around 400 people received services from the centre daily and expressed grave concern over the impact of the shutdown on local residents.
Nasrin filed a case with Shah Ali police station on Friday, naming Md Hanif Mia, 50, as the primary accused alongside 200–250 unidentified individuals.
Shah Ali police station officer-in-charge Jahangir Alam said that the police visited the spot and found evidence of vandalism, though no arrests had been made following the incident.
In a statement, Radda urged the government and law enforcement to take immediate steps to identify and bring all perpetrators to justice.
The organisation also demanded full compensation for the damaged facility and immediate measures to enable the resumption of health services.
