A group of attackers vandalized and attempted to set fire to the ancestral home of former liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque in the Dhirashram area under Gazipur Metropolitan Police’s Sadar police station on Friday night.
At least 13 individuals were injured in the incident after locals, suspecting them to be robbers, beat them up. Police have yet to confirm the identities of the injured.
The attack took place at Mozammel Haque’s ancestral residence in Ward No. 31 of Dhirashram, Dakshinkhan, Gazipur around 10pm.
Gazipur Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Arifur Rahman confirmed the incident, saying: "So far, 13 injured individuals have been sent to the hospital. Further details will be provided after the investigation."
According to witnesses, a group of 80-100 individuals, reportedly from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, attempted to vandalize and set fire to the residence.
However, locals mistook them for robbers and began shouting for help. Upon hearing the commotion, residents rushed out, leading to a chase. As the attackers tried to flee, 13 individuals were caught and beaten by the villagers.
Among the injured, five were in critical condition and were rushed to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital in Gazipur immediately. Later, eight more injured individuals were taken to the same hospital.
Gazipur Sadar police station duty officer SI Abdur Rashid confirmed that OC Mohammad Arifur Rahman and Investigation Officer Siddiq Hossain were at the scene.
"The law enforcement agencies are on-site, and we are currently assessing the situation. Further details will be shared after a thorough investigation," said Investigation Officer Siddiq Hossain.
Local sources said that a group of 100-150 people, under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, stormed the residence, extensively vandalizing the property and attempting arson.
Upon hearing the chaos, locals assumed it was a robbery and used a nearby mosque’s microphone to alert others. Residents armed with sticks then chased the attackers, detaining 16-17 individuals and beating them before handing them over to the authorities.
Upon receiving reports of the incident, police and military personnel arrived at the scene, bringing the situation under control. They rescued 15 severely injured individuals and transported them to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital.
Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Sadar police station OC Arifur Rahman said: "At least 14-15 people were injured when locals retaliated against the group attempting to vandalize AKM Mozammel Haque’s residence. The situation is currently under control, and an investigation is underway."
As of 1:30am, law enforcement officials confirmed that the situation had normalized.
