Agitated public carried out an attack on former liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque in Gazipur. Some locals at the time detained and assaulted a few of them. At least 15 people have been injured from this. Three of the injured are in critical condition, said physicians.
According to local people and police sources, a group of agitated students and public carried out an attack on Mozammel Haque’s house in Dakshinkhan area under Dheerasram of Gazipur city around 9:00 pm on Friday night. They barged into the house and carried on with vandalism.
At the time, an announcement was made using the megaphone of a nearby mosque, saying robbers have attacked the ex-minister’s house and local people were urged to come for help. Hearing the announcement, local people arrived and surrounded the house. They beat up some of those vandals.
Later, army personnel arrived at the scene rescued the injured and sent them to the emergency department of Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital in Gazipur. A few of the critically injured have been sent to Dhaka from there. Police members from Joydevpur police station and army personnel then took control of the situation.
A few video footages found on the social media showed some people being beaten up. Some of the injured have been identified as Md Himel, Navil Ahmed, Md Hasan, Gaurab, Shuvo, Yakub, Apu, Bishal, Emon Hossain and Zahidul Islam. Their detail identities could not be confirmed though.
Civil surgeon of Gazipur district Mahmuda Akhter told Prothom Alo around 12:30 pm on Friday that about 15 to 16 people have been given treatment at the emergency department of Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital. Three of the injured are in critical condition and they have been sent to Dhaka.
Officer-in-charge at the Sadar police station of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP), Arifur Rahman told Prothom Alo, initially it has been found that the attack on the former minister’s house was carried out under the identity of students and public. Local people at the time detained and assaulted the attackers. They have information of 12 to 13 people being injured from this, he added.
In protest of the attack, leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination student movement carried out a protest march in front of Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital around 1:45 am on Saturday.
At the time, leader of the anti-discrimination student movement in Gazipur, Md Abdullah said, “Friday night, we received news that the house of the former minister in the Dheerasram area was attacked and being looted. Hearing this, our students set out to prevent it. About 15 to 16 of them quickly arrived at the scene and saw that the house was being ransacked.”
“When the students tried to stop them, suddenly a huge crowd had gathered behind them. They were carrying various weapons including machetes. Before the other students arrived, those 15 were dragged to the roof. They were severely assaulted there. Later, when other students arrived at the scene, they were beaten as well,” added Md Abdullah.
A programme titled ‘March to Gazipur’ has been announced for Saturday from the protest march.
