In the wake of recent violent activities in the city’s main commercial hub that caused damage to a huge number of public and private properties, Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday strongly advocated banning the holding of rallies and meetings in Motijheel area.
“I would say that holding rallies and meetings should be banned in Motijheel,” he told a questioner after a delegation of Breeders’ Association of Bangladesh met him at his secretariat office in the morning. Association president Moshiur Rahman led the delegation, reports UNB.
Referring to the security aspect of Motijheel area following the anarchy unleashed recently by the Hefazat-e-Islam, Muhith said: “There should not be any meetings in Motijheel, and it has to be banned. Of course, the government has to make the decision and persuade everybody to accept it.”
He said different banks, financial institutions and hawkers witnessed the damage to their properties during the May 5 mayhem. The government is assessing the damage of its various financial institutions located in that area, while the FBCCI is also working to estimate the losses suffered by private business establishments during the incident.
Mentioning that the hawkers on the footpaths were the most affected during the incident, Muhith said that something would have to be done for them.
During the Dhaka siege programme by the Hefajat-e-Islam on May 5, the miscreants set fire to public properties, especially to the Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC) and Janata Bank buildings at Paltan.
The finance ministry has already asked 10 state-owned financial institutions headquartered in and around Motijheel to file cases against those involved in the destruction.
The 10 institutions are: Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation (BHBFC), Janata Bank, Sonali Bank, Agrani Bank, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Jiban Bima Corportation, Shadharan Bima, Basic Bank, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) and Bangladesh Development Bank Limited (BDBL).
Massive arson and vandalism in Paltan, Baitul Mukarram, Motijheel and Gulistan areas during Hefazat-e-Islam’s Motijheel rally on May 5 left small businesses completely ruined.
The victims of the fire include roadside vendors who sold cheap clothes, books, stationery and miscellaneous items to office-goers and pedestrians.
Hefazat-e-Islam’s violence on Sunday has left about 800 shops burnt in Purana Paltan, Dainik Bangla and Motijheel, causing total losses of over Tk200m, shop owners’ associations say.
“In [Baitul Mokarram Shopping Complex], six jewellery shops on the second floor were completely burnt down, and on the first floor 40-45 shops were partially damaged,” Hazi Iqbal Uddin, joint secretary of Baitul Mokarram Traders Group said. He estimated the losses at Tk70m.
A parliamentary watchdog has asked for minimum Tk25,000 compensation for each of the affected small businesses.