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Nine people have been arrested in connection with the attack, vandalism and looting at the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1, Dhaka, while two truckloads of looted goods have been recovered, police said on Sunday.
At the same time, Shah Ali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jahangir Alam was withdrawn and attached to the police headquarters over allegations of negligence in handling the incident.
DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) Md Akter Hossain confirmed the arrests and recovery of the goods on Sunday.
An office order issued by the DMP commissioner’s office said Jahangir Alam, an inspector, had been withdrawn from his current post for administrative reasons and attached to the Central Reserve Office under the DMP headquarters and administration department. The order took immediate effect.
A day earlier, DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed said strict action would be taken if any police officer was found negligent or careless in connection with the incident.
The attack took place around midnight on Friday, when 200–250 masked men allegedly armed with local weapons entered the health centre, restrained and held security guards hostage, and vandalised the facility. They reportedly demolished one permanent and three semi-permanent buildings. A signboard of the “Sammona Dokandar Cooperative Society Ltd” was later put up over the rubble.
Radda Executive Director Dr Nasrin Akhter alleged that the attackers looted government EPI vaccines, vaccination registers, around Tk 1.14 million in cash and an ultrasound machine worth Tk 4.5 million. Generators, refrigerators, air conditioners, CCTV cameras, laboratory equipment, computers, laptops and furniture were also taken. The organisation estimated losses from equipment and other property at more than Tk 15 million.
Despite losing its main buildings, health workers have continued providing vaccinations and emergency services to pregnant women and children under temporary tarpaulin shelters. Dr Nasrin later filed a case with Shah Ali Police Station.
The Radda MCH-FP Centre has provided free primary healthcare, family planning and routine child vaccination services to disadvantaged people in Mirpur for nearly 50 years in partnership with the Bangladesh government.
