Arsonists target former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury’s family home in Chittagong
Photo Collected
The ancestral home of former Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury in the Chashma Hill area of Chittagong was set ablaze by unidentified assailants late Thursday night. The incident, which occurred around midnight, targeted the residence of the former minister, who is the eldest son of the late Chittagong city mayor A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury.
According to local police, a group of six to seven masked individuals arrived at the property, piled combustible materials on a second-floor balcony, and ignited them. Witnesses reported hearing the sound of a firecracker being detonated as the suspects fled the scene. Local residents, alerted by the noise and the flames, gathered at the site and assisted police in extinguishing the fire before it could spread further.
The former minister’s family has reportedly not occupied the building for the past two years. Borhanul Hassan, the brother of the former minister, shared images of the aftermath on social media. The photographs show masked figures near the perimeter of the building, with one image capturing flames erupting from the balcony.
Residents of the Chashma Hill neighborhood suggest the attack may be linked to the political fallout from the July uprising that ousted the Awami League government. Speculation among locals points to Mohibul Hassan’s participation in a press conference held by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, a video of which he subsequently shared on social media. This is the second time the property has been targeted; the building was also subjected to an arson attack last December following the death of student activist Shahid Osman Hadi.
Officer-in-Charge of the Panchlaish Police Station, Mohammad Jahedul Islam, confirmed that authorities are actively investigating the incident. Law enforcement officials conducted an on-site inspection and are currently reviewing evidence to identify the suspects, who managed to escape through side streets as onlookers approached the property.
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