3, including former building caretaker, arrested over vandalising Gulshan residence

Three individuals were arrested over vandalising a Gulshan residence during a raid last night by a student-public crowd who assumed it belonged to former Sirajganj-4 lawmaker Tanveer Imam.

The arrestees have been identified as Jewel Khandaker, Shakil Khandaker, and Shakil Ahmed. 

Abdul Mannan, caretaker of the residence, filed a case with Gulshan Police Station against 14-15 unidentified individuals, including the three arrested.

According to a DMP, initial interrogation revealed that Shakil Ahmed, one of the arrestees, previously worked as a caretaker in the house. He had spread rumour claiming that Tk200-300 crore could be found inside. 

The interrogation also suggested that the individuals entered the house primarily with the intent to loot, said a DMP media release.

About a hundred people raided the house - which they thought belonged to Tanveer, son of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's late political adviser HT Imam - suspecting they would find illegal weapons, drugs and a large amount of money there.

Jewel Khandaker is reportedly the general secretary of the BNP's central transport wing.

"They were detained from the spot while conducting the search," said Mokhlesur Rahaman, inspector of investigations at Gulshan Police Station. 

However, police said today that the house does not belong to Tanveer.

The house is owned by Rahman, father of Tanveer's ex-wife, who has been living in the Gulshan residence since her parents died. She and Tanveer have long been divorced.

What happened in last night's 'citizen raid' in Gulshan? 

It began with a post on Facebook: illegal substances had been found in the home of HT Imam – former political adviser to deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. 

The post further called on the public to conduct a raid on the home. 

Interestingly, the post came hours after police appealed to all to not post on any sensitive things like robberies on social media without proper verification.

The post led to people gathering outside the Gulshan residence, where they chanted slogans against "AL's Dalals". 

Many among the mob said they were local residents. 
 
The house, meanwhile, did not belong to HT Imam. It was owned by Rahman, who was Tanvir Imam's former father-in-law. The couple had divorced around 10 years ago. 

But it is said this is the house where Tanvir was arrested from. Sources say Tanvir has fled the country. 

Speaking to the media, a man, with henna applied on his hair and beard, claimed many "AL killers" were inside the house. 

The man also claimed HT Imam was now in jail. In reality, HT Imam had died in 2021. 

The man further claimed there were many weapons inside the house.

The mob also claimed that they had gone to the authorities to seek help. 

"We kept asking them to come and help us. But they didn't," one of the protesters claimed.  

Some among the crowd belong climbing over the gate. They then broke the lock of the maingate and let the crowd in. 

Breaking in

They then went up to the apartment and continued kicking the door for five minutes to break it but failed. 

Eventually, the door was opened from the inside by a caretaker who let them in. 

There were two more domestic workers in the house and a dog, but nobody else. 

The mob then ransacked wardrobes, shoe boxes, lockers, trolley bags and beds inside the house. 

Eventually, they found nothing. 

No law enforcement officers were initially seen in this student-public raid, but journalists from various media outlets were present and broadcasted the incident live.

Speaking to The Business Standard, Ziaur Rahman Chowdhury, assistant commissioner, Gulshan Zone of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said police later stopped the crowd from conducting the raid.

"A police patrol team stopped the student-public crowd from raiding the house in Gulshan after receiving information," he added.

Half-an-hour after the raid started, a team from the Gulshan Police Station reached the spot. Army members were also seen outside the house at the time.

What cops were told

A protester said he was a third-year student from Tejgaon college. 

He said they had heard there were AL men hiding in the house. 

Two others of the mob were also held back for questioning by police when they arrived. 

Meanwhile, the man with henna applied on his beard and hair, who had been yelling slogans for so long, then said they had arrived after hearing that student killers were here.

When he was informed this wasn't HT Imam's house, he also said they had gone to the army. 

"I also called the police, but we did not go there. But I called Gulshan thana police," he said. 
He admitted they found nothing but said they had heard they were all on the second floor and not the first – which they had checked. 

He said they had a source, but did not say what the source was. "The source is here. I will bring him." 

He also claimed to be a general secretary of the Jatiyobadi Chalok Dol.