A group of unidentified people reportedly linked to the Gono Odhikar Parishad, attacked the Jatiya Party's central office in Dhaka’s Kakrail area and set it on fire on Saturday evening.
Confirming the attack, police said they successfully brought the situation under control.
In a statement, Khandaker Delwar Jalali, Press Secretary to the Jatiya Party Chairman (with the rank of Joint Secretary General), said terrorists set fire to the Jatiya Party's central office in the capital's Kakrail area, burning books from the party’s library, important documents, and furniture on the ground floor.
He added that a group of 20 to 30 attackers carried out the arson after party leaders and activists had left the premises following an event.
Law enforcement officials brought the situation under control by using batons, water cannons, and sound grenades to disperse the attackers.
According to the statement, this was not the first such attempt. On Friday, the same group reportedly tried to set fire to the office through a series of attacks and torch processions. However, they were unsuccessful due to resistance from party members and prompt action by law enforcement.
Earlier on Saturday, at 3:30 pm, Jatiya Party Secretary General Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary held a meeting with leaders and activists from the Mymensingh division.
At 4:30 pm, he addressed questions from journalists at the party’s central office auditorium. Following the conclusion of the event, law enforcement officers advised party members to vacate the office for security reasons, which they complied with.
Shortly after, the attackers arrived and set fire to the building.
In addition, around 4 pm on the same day, another group of attackers allegedly attempted multiple attacks on the Uttara residence of Jatiya Party Chairman Golam Mohammad Quader. However, police, who had been stationed there since morning, successfully repelled the attackers.
A large contingent of law enforcement personnel has since been deployed at both the Jatiya Party central office and the chairman’s residence to maintain security and prevent further violence.
On Friday evening, clashes broke out between leaders and activists of Jatiya Party and Gono Odhikar Parishad when a procession from the latter passed by the Jatiya Party office in Kakrail.
Gono Odhikar Parishad claimed that several of their activists, including its President Nurul Haque Nur, were injured when law enforcement officers charged batons during the incident.
Nur is now undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
