People were loading goods from the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1 onto pickup vans while a police vehicle was parked outside during the overnight attack, looting, and demolition of the decades-old clinic, according to CCTV camera footage obtained by The Business Standard.
The footage shows an excavator used for demolishing government facilities slowly approaching the clinic before the looting began. As it moved towards the facility, the number of people at the site gradually increased.
Hundreds of people were then seen entering the clinic. People visible in the CCTV footage did not appear to have their faces covered. Their movement made it seem like a normal construction work was happening at the site.
Pickup vans were subsequently brought to the site, and people began loading goods from inside the clinic onto the vehicles.
The footage shows the most significant scene shortly before 1:30am Saturday (26 September), when a police vehicle stopped in front of the clinic’s gate. A pickup loaded with looted goods was parked outside, while people continued loading items from the clinic even as the police vehicle remained there.
The footage does not show anyone getting out of the police vehicle or questioning the people at the scene. One police officer can be seen speaking to an individual from inside the vehicle, while others continued bringing goods from inside the clinic and loading them onto the pickup.
The incident took place between 12am and 2am Saturday. Radda authorities said 200-250 people attacked the facility, held two security guards hostage, and looted and vandalised the establishment before heavy machinery was brought in to demolish the clinic.
The attackers looted medicines, vaccines, government EPI vaccination registers and documents, family-planning supplies, an ultrasound machine, generator, refrigerators, air conditioners, and cash, according to the clinic authorities. The organisation estimated the total loss at more than Tk1.5 crore.
Radda MCH-FP Centre, a private NGO-run facility, has provided primary healthcare, EPI vaccination, and family-planning services since 1976. The clinic also operated the government’s EPI vaccination programme and provided services to local residents.
The clinic’s Executive Director Dr Nasrin Akhter has filed a case at Shah Ali Police Station against Mirpur BNP leader Mohammad Hanif Mia and 200-250 unidentified people, accusing them of trespassing, theft, and threats, and over damage of more than Tk1.5 crore. Hanif has denied involvement in the incident.
Shah Ali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jahangir Hossain has acknowledged that police were present at the scene while the attack and demolition were taking place. Asked why no one was detained despite the police presence, he could not provide a clear explanation.
Four people have since been arrested in connection with the incident. Police said the suspects admitted to participating in the attack in exchange for money and were sent to court, which later sent them to jail.
Following the incident, DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed visited the scene on Saturday. He said action would be taken if any police member was found to have neglected their duty or been negligent.
A three-member committee has also been formed to investigate the presence and role of police during the incident and submit its report quickly.
The commissioner said the scale of the damage indicated that the incident could not have been carried out within a very short period. During his visit, he observed that the facility had been demolished over a period of time, while various pieces of equipment were also missing.
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