Library vandalised in Uttara over 'Awami League associates' hangout' allegation
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Mohiul Islam told The Business Standard that the violence stemmed from infighting between two groups
A library in the Rajuk Uttara Apartment Project residential area was vandalised last night (25 September) with allegations that it was being used as a hangout spot by "associates of the Awami League".
Books, chairs, tables, CCTV equipment, and other furniture were also reportedly looted from the library, which had been managed by the United Brothers Club, a local cricket club.
According to police and locals, the unrest began after an individual was assaulted near Gate No 4 of the Rajuk Uttara Apartment Project yesterday evening.
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Later at night, clashes broke out between two groups — one led by former Student Against Discrimination leaders Russell Hossain, Habibul Bashar, and Abrar Hanif, and the other by local resident Mostafiz Habib Sunam's followers, reports Prothom Alo.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Mohiul Islam told The Business Standard that the violence stemmed from infighting between two groups. "We are looking into the matter," he added.
United Brothers Club President Abdullah Fahad lodged a written complaint with the Turag Police Station, stating that the library and the club's temporary office were damaged.
The complaint mentioned that books, 40 chairs, five tables, four CCTV cameras, a hard drive, a router, 30 floodlights from the club's field, cricket equipment, and other items worth about Tk2.5 lakh were looted, while the vandalism of the library and office caused an additional Tk3 lakh in damages.
"Our open library was vandalised due to a conflict between two groups. The vandalism was carried out by tagging the Awami League associates' hangout here," Fahad told Prothom Alo.
However, former SAD leader Russell Hossain accused the library authorities of initiating the attack.
"A group of 20-30 people came out of the library with machetes, sticks, and stumps and attacked us. My hand was broken in the assault. In anger, people damaged places where sticks were kept, but the library itself was not vandalised. False propaganda is being spread to twist the incident," he said.
On the other hand, Mostafiz Habib Sunam alleged that the former SAD leaders had been running illegal shops and extorting money in the area.
"Yesterday evening, they assaulted two boys, Ratul and Parvez. When I tried to settle the matter, they misbehaved with me, which led to the scuffle. Later, they went on to commit the heinous act of vandalising the library," he said.
