Attack, vandalism at Rowshan Ershad's ‘Sundar Mahal’ in Mymensingh

“Agitated students demolished the establishment,” says Anti-discrimination Student Movement leader

The ancestral home of former opposition leader and Jatiya Party faction chief Rowshan Ershad has been attacked and vandalised in Mymensingh city.

On Thursday, members of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement stormed the building known as “Sundar Mahal” near the city’s Town Hall, vandalising its interior and several structures under construction, according to Saiful Islam, inspector (investigation) at Kotwali Model Police Station.

Leaders of the movement said that after Aug 5, a signboard was put up marking the ancestral home of Rowshan, wife of former president HM Ershad, as “Dalal [Tout] Mahal”.

Recently, Bazlur Rahman rented the house for 12 years and opened a restaurant called “Kutum Bari”. He also started construction work.

On Apr 23, demonstrators formed a human chain in front of the house and submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner (DC), demanding that a commercial building not be constructed on the site.

But the administration did not take any action.

After this, a group led by Walid Ahmed, joint member secretary of the Mymensingh Metropolitan unit of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, went to the site and attacked.

Ahsanul Karim, brother-in-law of the “Kutum Bari” restaurant’s owner, told journalists: “Members of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement attacked and vandalised the property, calling it ‘Dalal Mahal' because it was the ancestral home of Rowshan Ershad.”

Walid said, “‘Dalal Mahal’ was being turned into a commercial building, despite a memorandum submitted to the DC urging a halt.

“When no action was taken, the aggrieved students demolished the structure."

Mymensingh DC Mofidul Alam said, “Given the public and student outrage over the house, no commercial establishment should be built there. Appropriate action will be taken soon.”