A group of agitated students and locals attacked and vandalized the ancestral home of Obaidul Quader, the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League, in Noakhali’s Companiganj. The incident took place on Thursday (February 6) at around 1:15 PM in Rajapur village, located in Ward No. 1 of Basurhat Municipality. The attackers also set parts of the property on fire.

According to local sources, the attack followed a protest march that started at Basurhat Bazar at approximately 12:45 PM. The march passed through the Basurhat Bus Stand before reaching Quader’s residence. Once there, the protesters used hammers and crowbars to damage a two-story building belonging to Abdul Quader Mirza, the former mayor of Basurhat Municipality and Quader’s younger brother. The vandals later targeted another house belonging to Quader’s other brother, Shahadat Mirza.

A similar incident had previously taken place on August 5, when five residential houses and two vehicles at the same property were attacked and set ablaze.

Local resident Emran Hossain reported that after the August 5 attack, Abdul Quader Mirza had partially restored his house. However, the latest attack caused significant damage once again. He further noted that during the incident, no family members of Quader were present, as they had gone into hiding following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.

Speaking to journalists at the scene, Md. Ariful Islam, the coordinator of the Noakhali district branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, justified the attack. He stated that the people of Companiganj, particularly students, had long endured oppression and persecution at the hands of Obaidul Quader, Abdul Quader Mirza, and their associates. He described the attack as an outburst of accumulated anger and resentment against them. He further warned that any future government engaging in fascist practices would face similar consequences.

Attempts to reach Gazhi Muhammad Fauzul Azim, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Companiganj Police Station, for a statement were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone remained unreachable.