Rights groups, political leaders voice concern

Rights groups, political leaders condemn attacks on health centre, studioHuman rights organisations and political leaders have condemned the attacks on the Radda MCH-FP health centre in Mirpur and content creator Salman Muqtadir’s studio in the capital, demanding investigations and accountability for those responsible.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) expressed concern over the alleged looting, vandalism and encroachment of the Radda centre in the presence of police and with the alleged support of a reserved-seat MP. It also referred to a factional BNP clash over control of a jalmahal in Kishoreganj that left more than 50 people injured and the vandalism of a content creator's office.

In a statement on Sunday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman urged the authorities to investigate the incidents without delay and ensure exemplary punishment for those responsible.

He warned that arbitrariness, corruption, irregularities and impunity could be taking root again, and called for stronger preventive measures and a nationwide self-purification drive within the ruling party.

The Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) described the incidents as assaults on citizens' rights to healthcare, security and property, rather than merely criminal offences.

According to HRSS, more than 200 masked assailants stormed the Radda centre at midnight, held security guards hostage and looted medicines and government vaccines before using heavy machinery to demolish one permanent and three semi-permanent structures. The damage was estimated at Tk1.5 crore.

HRSS expressed particular concern over reports that police were present during the looting and demanded a transparent investigation into the conduct of law enforcement agencies. It also placed an eight-point demand, including measures to ensure accountability and restore healthcare services at the centre.

Visiting the damaged centre on Sunday, NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan described the incident as "an organised crime" involving multiple state institutions. He alleged that a BNP MP, city corporation officials and local police were present and that officers withdrew when the vandalism began, returning afterwards.

NCP convener Nahid Islam separately questioned how such extortion could occur within the Prime Minister's own constituency, while MP Hasnat Abdullah accused BNP leaders of fostering a culture of impunity and "mob culture" since August.

Dr Tasnim Jara, who also visited the site, expressed concern over the disruption to child immunisation and maternal healthcare. She said mothers were still queuing under open skies for their children's jabs and warned that the loss of immunisation registers and vaccination cards could disrupt routine vaccination programmes.

She urged the health ministry to urgently reconstruct the records and reopen usable rooms so that maternal and child healthcare services could resume.

Ganosamhati Andolan leaders Dewan Abdur Rashid Nilu and Abul Hasan Rubel questioned why no one was detained at the scene despite the presence of police. They demanded accountability and structural police reform.