What could have been just another ordinary night for the residents of Mirpur turned into a profound, dark chapter. The historic Radda MCH-FP Center in Mirpur-1 is now a heap of rubble. For nearly half a century, this compound has brought smiles to the faces of thousands of impoverished mothers and children by providing free, life-saving healthcare. Today, an attempt is being made to cover it up with a signboard of greed. At midnight, a ruthless rampage by over two hundred masked men did not just break bricks and mortar; it crushed the last sanctuary of hope for society's most vulnerable people.

Hostage Lives and Ransacked Documents of Memory

Midnight. While all around was dead silent, a gang of armed masked men erupted in monstrous celebration. Operating under the banner of the "Sammanana Dokandar Samabaya Samity Limited," these terror-mongers first took two innocent security guards at the gate hostage before forcing their way inside.

Then began a cruel destruction. The sacred walls of the clinic bore witness to a demonic looting:

• Ravaged Healthcare: Everything was destroyed, from government EPI vaccines and life-saving medicines to laboratory reagents. • Plunder of Valuables: They looted an ultrasonogram machine worth approximately 4.5 million Taka, generators, ACs, refrigerators, computers, and laptops one by one. • Annihilation of Funds: Even the nearly 1.14 million Taka in cash saved for providing services could not escape this monstrous plunder.

The Last Refuge of the Poor Reduced to Dust by Bulldozers

The attackers did not stop at mere looting. Using heavy machinery and bulldozers, they smashed one pucca and three semi-pucca buildings of the center. In the rooms where new life was once born and children were vaccinated with utmost care, the signboard of greedy grabbers now hangs.

With a tearful voice, the institution's Executive Director, Dr. Nasrin Akhter, stated that the barbaric attack caused an estimated loss of 15 million Taka. Because of this devastation, all types of vaccination and maternity services, including the newly launched government measles-rubella campaign, have come to a halt. The air in Mirpur has grown heavy with the tears of poor mothers and the cries of innocent children.

A Cry for Justice and Rights: The Time to Stand Against It

This 50-year-old institution is not merely a structure of brick and stone; it is the vital lifeline of health security for millions of marginalized people in Mirpur. The authorities clearly allege that this planned attack was carried out with the malicious intent of land grabbing.

Immediately after the incident, a case was filed at the Shah Ali Police Station against the prime accused, Hanif Miah, along with 200 to 250 unnamed individuals. Police have stated that operations to arrest the accused are underway. Yet, the local residents ask—how quickly will the masks of these monsters be stripped away? How soon will the corridors of the Radda clinic become active again?

The Institution's Sole Demand: Swift and exemplary punishment for the criminals, full recovery of damages, and immediate reconstruction of the center to ensure unhindered healthcare for the helpless. Will this scar on humanity simply be erased this way, or will justice reclaim its own light?

In the wake of this tragic and disgraceful incident, what kind of robust steps do you think the administration should take to calm the anger of local citizens and swiftly restore healthcare services?

Author: Dr. Abul Hasnat Milton, Journalist, Political Analyst, and Editor-in-Chief, The Source News Bangla