Protester’s attack Obaidul Quader’s house in Noakhali

A large group of protesting students launched a violent attack on the home of Obaidul Quader, the General Secretary of the Awami League, in his ancestral village in Noakhali. 

The incident occurred on Thursday, February 6, around 1:00 PM. 

The protesters vandalized the house and set parts of it on fire. 

However, no one from Obaidul Quader’s family was present at the time of the attack.

Eyewitnesses shared that the protesters, carrying sticks and other tools, stormed Obaidul Quader’s family home in the village of Rajapur in Bashurhat Union. 

The attackers broke into a two-story building that belonged to Obaidul’s younger brother, Abdul Kader Mirza, who is the former mayor of Bashurhat and the president of the Companiganj Upazila Awami League. 

The protesters caused significant damage inside the house.

This wasn’t the first time the house had been targeted. 

On August 5 of the previous year, the same house had been attacked and set on fire by protesting students. 

Following that incident, Abdul Kader Mirza had made repairs to the house. 

Despite the renovations, the property was attacked again on Thursday. 

Once again, neither Abdul Kader Mirza nor any of his family members were at the house when the violence took place.

Reports from the scene revealed that, in addition to Obaidul Quader’s and Abdul Kader Mirza’s ancestral houses, there is another house owned by their brother Shahadat Hossain. 

This one-story house was also vandalized during the attack. 

The destruction lasted from around 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM, and during that time, the protesters removed various items from the houses, including blankets and household goods. 

The protesters even took some of the furniture, placed it on an old car, and set it on fire. 

They also set a tin shed outside Shahadat Hossain’s house on fire.

In an interview with Prothom Alo, Mohammad Ariful Islam, the coordinator of the Noakhali district branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, explained that many people in the area had faced abuse at the hands of Obaidul Quader and his brother’s supporters. 

The frustration and anger over these injustices finally erupted in today’s attack. Ariful Islam also emphasized that students from all walks of life participated in the protest. 

He warned that any government that behaves in a “fascist” manner could expect similar consequences in the future.

Companiganj Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC), Mohammad Fouyazul Islam, confirmed the attack, stating that he had been at the District Police Superintendent’s office for official duties when the news broke. 

He mentioned that the investigating officer had gathered initial information. 

The police confirmed that the attack on Obaidul Quader’s house by the protesting students had, indeed, taken place.

This incident highlights the growing frustration among the people of the region and the power of protests that are shaping the political landscape. 

As tensions rise, the people’s anger seems to be shifting from protests to direct actions.