Mirpur Radda Center Health Services Continue Amid Ruins After Vandalism Attack
Health workers continue providing limited services outside the ruins of the Mirpur facility following a violent midnight raid and demolition that caused nearly 15 million Taka in damages
Health workers at the Radda MCH-FP Centre in the capital's Mirpur-1 area have continued providing limited medical services to patients from the rubble of their demolished facility for the second consecutive day on Sunday. Despite the catastrophic destruction of the center, staff managed to administer vaccines to 37 children and provide other healthcare services to at least 15 individuals between morning and 3:00 pm, catering to nearly 50 people in total compared to the daily average of 120 to 150 patients under normal circumstances.
The makeshift operations follow a violent midnight raid on Thursday, when a masked mob of over 200 armed individuals stormed the facility, bound security guards, and looted valuable machinery, medicines, vaccines, and cash. The attackers subsequently used heavy machinery to flatten the entire compound, which comprised one permanent and three semi-permanent structures.
The demolition has severely disrupted critical healthcare access for impoverished local residents who relied on the center for low-cost maternal and child health services, including vaccinations, antenatal care, ultrasonograms, and nutritional counseling. Patients visiting the site on Sunday expressed profound distress upon finding the services severely curtailed, with many turning back due to the chaotic environment. Local residents have urgently appealed to the government to intervene and restore healthcare operations swiftly.
Farzana, a paramedic at the center, emphasized the extensive scope of services previously offered, noting that underprivileged parents frequently traveled from across the river because they could not afford the expenses of larger hospitals. Executive Director Nasrin Akhter reported that the vandalism and looting inflicted approximately 15 million Taka in damages, demanding that authorities bring the perpetrators to justice based on the evidence and signboards left at the scene.
