Staff Reporter:
National Citizen Party (NCP) Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain on Sunday demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the attack, vandalism and looting at the Radda MCH-FP Centre in the capital’s Mirpur area and called for a neutral investigation into the incident.
He visited the health centre around noon with party leaders and activists, inspecting the sections damaged in the vandalism and looting.
Asif spoke with patients who were still receiving treatment at the facility and demanded that the dam-aged centre be rebuilt and health services restored as soon as possible.
During the visit, NCP activists removed a signboard of a shopkeepers’ co-operatives society, which was put up in front of the centre.
Speaking after the inspection, Asif said the facility had long been providing essential maternal and child healthcare services, including vaccination.
“Such destruction of a healthcare facility is completely unacceptable,” he said.
He said medicines, vaccines, injections and medical equipment were also looted from the centre.
The NCP leader alleged that the incident was not isolated and involved a BNP lawmaker, a city corpora-tion administrator and local police, describing it as an “organized crime” and “state-sponsored looting.”
He further alleged that police were present at the scene when the vandalism began but left the spot, re-turning only after the incident ended.
Asif demanded action against those involved in the attack as well as those accused of negligence of duty.
He said the Radda clinic will not be allowed to be grabbed, adding that health workers will try to keep maternal and child healthcare services running even amid the debris.
