NN Online Report:
Nearly 16 years after the demolition of the BNP’s Ramna thana office near Mouchak Market, a case has been filed against several Awami League leaders accused of destroying the office and constructing shops in its place.
The case was filed on Monday with Ramna Police Station by former Ward-53 Councillor and BNP’s Ramna thana president, Ariful Islam Arif. He also served as the organising secretary of the then undivided Dhaka metropolitan BNP.
According to the case statement, in 2009 local Awami League leaders—including Sachchu Sheikh, former councillor Kamruzzaman Kajol, Sheikh Roisul Islam Moyna, MA Rahim Rana, and others—demolished the BNP office and built around 10 shops on the site, later renting them out. Another 20–30 unidentified individuals were also named as suspects in the case.
Arif, who was sentenced to 110 years of imprisonment in the August 21 grenade attack case, spent a total of eight years in jail before being released on December 24, 2024, following the fall of the Awami League in the mass student-people’s uprising earlier this month.
In the FIR, Arif alleged that as BNP’s local president and ward councillor, he had constructed the party office on Siddheshwari Boys’ School’s land with the school’s approval, spending Tk 7.5 lakh from party funds. The office operated there legally, paying rent, utility bills, and other dues until his arrest in the grenade attack case.
He claimed that after his arrest in 2009, Awami League leaders planned and executed the demolition. Led by the accused, armed men and hired goons stormed the office, vandalised portraits of Ziaur Rahman and his family, and set fire to documents and furniture after dousing them with petrol. Later, the structure was bulldozed to the ground.
The case statement further alleged that when locals and BNP activists tried to resist, Awami League leader Sachchu Sheikh opened fire with a pistol, firing several blank shots to intimidate the crowd.
Confirming the development, Ramna Police Station OC Golam Faruque said: “A case has been filed. An investigating officer has been assigned.”
Sub-Inspector Abul Bashar, the investigation officer, added: “I have not yet gone through the case details. We will review it quickly and take necessary steps.”
Speaking to reporters, plaintiff Arif said: “For years I could not file the case because I was either in jail or on the run during the Awami League regime. The accused openly demolished our office and set up shops, yet continued to roam freely in the area. Now I demand their arrest and maximum punishment under the law, and the restoration of our party office at the original site.”
He further said BNP intends to seek permission from Siddheshwari Boys’ School authorities again to re-establish the office legally on the land.
