Chhayanaut building set on fire

A group of unruly people set fire to the building of cultural organisation Chhayanaut in the capital’s Dhanmondi area in the early hours of Friday, December 19, as violence spread in the country over the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.

“The incident took place around 2:15 am,” said Khaleda Yasmin, control room duty officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters.

She said two firefighting units rushed to the spot and doused the blaze around 3:50 am.

The casualties and the extent of the damage were not reported in the incident.

Witnesses said a group of assailants in helmets and masks stormed the building, damaged valuables, and set fire to both inside and outside the premises.

Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a prominent figure of the July Uprising and a prospective candidate for the 13th parliamentary election, passed away on Thursday night, December 18, while receiving treatment at Singapore General Hospital.

Hadi was critically injured when two assailants opened fire on him while traveling on a rickshaw near the Box Culvert Road in Dhaka's Bijoynagar area.

Two individuals on a motorcycle approached his rickshaw, and one of them shot him from close range before fleeing the scene.

Source: UNB