The country has been a witness to vandalism, arson, loot, desecration and even demolition of state and private property like the Jatiya Sangsad and TV centre, statues, mazars or shrines and temples following the July uprising. But no clinic or healthcare facility was a target of collective fury. Some isolated incidents of frenzy though with no link to the July uprising perpetrated by aggrieved members of a family over alleged wrong treatment of their near and dear ones at healthcare facilities, are at times reported. However, on Thursday night an unprecedented attack on the Radda MCH-FP Centre located in the capital’s Mirpur-1 area has raised the question if any institution or organisation can expect to be spared violent attacks by mobs.
More than two hundred people, many of them having their faces masked, took part in this open robbery and demolition of the health centre. The attackers looted every moveable property including an ultrasound machine worth Tk4.5 million, a generator, three refrigerators, three air-conditioners, computers, laptops and even CCTV cameras. They also took away government EPI vaccines, vaccination records, family planning equipment and medicines worth Tk0.50 million and Tk 1.14 million in cash before demolishing one concrete and three semi-concrete buildings along with the boundary walls. The damage and loss, excluding the demolished buildings, are estimated at Tk15 million. Before leaving they posted a banner bearing the title Samomona Dokandar Samabya Samiti Ltd. So this is not just an incident of attack and looting; it is an open challenge to the country’s legal system and the law enforcement agency. One wonders what role the law enforcers played while the looting and demolition went on for hours together. Demolition of an establishment of this size takes time.
The clinic has been operating in partnership with the government for the past 50 years. It has served primarily the poor and marginal groups mostly free of charge or at a nominal fee. Its involvement with the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and free family planning programme are a clear evidence of how important its role is in serving mothers and children of the most vulnerable groups. Even on Saturday last, the government’s measles-rubella vaccination campaign was scheduled to begin. Happily, the vaccination programme was somehow carried out at the gate of this clinic on Saturday.
Executive Director of the Radda MCH-FP Centre, Dr. Nasrin Akhter claims her organisation has been operating there under an arrangement with the government. She did not elaborate what the arrangement is. She also complains that a local ruling party leader has led the terrorist attack purportedly to capture the 10 katha land. Then what is the locus standi of the Samomona Dokandar Samity? Ferdousi Ahmed, reserved seat lawmaker of the locality contends that the land was allocated to the samity (association) during her term as the ward commissioner. Nasrin Akhter is not sure if the land belonged to the association of shopkeepers.
Even if the ownership of the land belonged to the association, the way it wanted to take possession of the plot is not legally approved. The association had to follow legal procedures and obtain a court order instructing the health centre to vacate the place. There is no provision for unleashing midnight terrorism. If one has legal documents entitling ownership, one cannot take law into its own hand. It is the court that gives the verdict in favour of that person. Without court order, such moves are naturally suspect.
Both parties must prove the authenticity of their claims on the basis of legal documents. The healthcare facility has to produce its agreement signed on the arrangement of the land use and the shopkeepers their entitle document. Why did the association wait so long for claiming their ownership of the plot? Let there be a thorough investigation into the disputed affair for its legal settlement. But those who let loose terrorism at midnight must be awarded the punishment they deserve. It is time for the home minister to act decisively or the message it will give will incite incidents of similar lawlessness and bedlams.
Source: https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/opinions/all-hell-broke-loose-on-thursday-night
