Army frees Pran Gopal Datta’s daughter from office siege after 6 hours

Army personnel free Dr Anindita Datta from a room at the university’s Cancer Bhaban and bring her home

Army personnel have rescued Dr Anindita Datta, an associate professor at Bangladesh Medical University and daughter of the institution’s former vice-chancellor Pran Gopal Datta, after she was confined in her office by a group of individuals.

Anindita was taken to her home in Dhanmondi by army personnel after 2:30pm on Sunday, according to Brigadier General Abu Noman Mohammad Mosleh Uddin, director of Bangladesh Medical University Hospital.

“As far as I know, our administration called the army,” he said.

“Later, police also arrived at the scene. Army members took the doctor out of the hospital and transported her home.”

Earlier in the day, a group of people reportedly locked Anindita in her office at the university’s cancer unit after her arrival at 8am.

In the afternoon, the university’s proctor, Sheikh Farhad, said: “Pran Gopal sir’s daughter works here. She has been detained. Some people have brought the media with them,” he told bdnews24.com.

“We’re also confined here with her. The army has arrived at the scene. We’re in trouble. I will provide details later.”

However, Farhad did not specify who was responsible for the confinement or the reasons behind it.

Anindita, an associate professor in the Department of Radiology and Imaging, works in the university’s F Block, known as the Cancer Bhaban.

Prof Gopal served as vice-chancellor of the university, formerly known as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, or BSMMU, from 2009 to 2015.

In 2021, he was elected unopposed as a member of parliament for Cumilla-7.

The university was officially renamed Bangladesh Medical University last Thursday.

A doctor at the university hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that following a shift in the political landscape of the country on Aug 5, several legal cases were filed against Gopal in Dhaka and Cumilla.

Anindita has also been named in those cases.

The doctor said that Anindita had refrained from coming to the university since the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, but resumed attendance a couple of days ago.

He added that a group of people arrived at the university early Sunday morning and locked Anindita inside a fourth-floor room of the Cancer Bhaban.

Upon receiving reports of the incident, officers from Shahbagh Police Station and army personnel arrived at the scene around 1:30pm.

Khalid Mansur, chief of Shahbagh Police Station, said: “We’ve heard about this incident. Police are present at the location, as is the army.”

Rubel Ahmed, one of the individuals involved in confining Anindita, told reporters that they had been looking for her for some time.

“We’ve been here since 7am after receiving word. Those of us from Shahbagh Chhatra Dal are present here. Those from the Awami League, the fascists, were trying to snatch her away from us and hide her,” Rubel said.

Rubel identified himself as an associate of Shahbagh Thana Chhatra Dal General Secretary Saddam Hossain.

However, when contacted, Saddam denied any organisational involvement in the incident.

“We have two programmes today—one in Khilgaon and another at Dhaka Medical College. None of our leaders or activists went to Bangladesh Medical University,” he told bdnews24.com.

“There are many who do not hold party positions but attend processions and meetings. I am looking into whether any of them were involved.”