Radda clinic attack: 8 accused placed on 3-day remand

A Dhaka court today (8 October) placed eight people arrested in a case over an alleged midnight attack, vandalism and looting at Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1 on three-day remand.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nazmin Akter passed the order after a hearing on a remand petition filed by Shah Ali Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Ataur Rahman, according to the prosecution.

The eight accused are Md Shahadat Hossain, Kazi Mokbul Hossain, Md Shah Alam, Md Atikur Rahman, Md Kamrul Islam, Md Nur Alam, Md Rafiqul Islam Jinnah alias Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and Md Sazzad Hossain Mishu.

Prosecution Sub-Inspector Lutfor Rahman confirmed the matter to TBS.

The investigation officer had sought five-day remand for the accused on 4 October, and the court set today for the hearing.

Defence lawyers sought cancellation of the remand and bail for the accused, while the state opposed the plea. After hearing both sides, the court granted three days’ remand.

With the latest arrests, 14 people have so far been arrested in the case.

According to the case statement, a group of people entered the Radda MCH-FP Centre in the Shah Ali police station area around midnight on 25 September carrying hammers, sticks and locally made weapons.

The group allegedly climbed over the boundary wall, beat and tied up two night guards, Andria Sarkar and Md Abdul Hai, before breaking the main gate with hammers and entering the premises with an excavator.

The FIR alleges that the attackers vandalised several buildings, including a family planning service room and rooms used by the clinic in-charge, a doctor and the deputy clinic in-charge. Furniture and equipment inside the rooms were also damaged.

Doors and windows of the ultrasound, vaccination and laboratory rooms in the main building were allegedly vandalised.

The attackers also allegedly took medicines and other supplies, two ultrasound machines, a generator, two computers, two printers, three refrigerators, three air conditioners and three steel cabinets from the centre.

The FIR further alleges that the night guards were threatened and intimidated. The attackers allegedly put up banners and signboards of a cooperative society at the facility before leaving.

Radda MCH-FP Centre Executive Director Dr Nasrin Akhter filed the case with Shah Ali Police Station on 26 September. The case names Md Hanif Mia as an accused and lists 200-250 unidentified people as accused.