Dhaka’s Minto Road, known for residences of ministers, largely deserted

The bungalows on Dhaka’s Minto Road, known as ‘minister neighbourhood’, and its surrounding areas are largely deserted on Tuesday.

A few security guards could be seen at a couple of bungalows, but most were locked and abandoned.

There were no people outside the inspector general of police’s residence. The door was locked and silence reigned inside. No one answered any calls from outside. However, there were a few vehicles in a shed inside.

No one was outside three bungalows for ministers nearby. Large locks were on the gates. The neat gardens and expensive vehicles sat unused inside.

The offices of the police Detective Branch, which played a significant role in the recent anti-government movement, is on Mithu Road. There were four police personnel in front of the building. There eyes were red after a long night of guard duty.

“How could I sleep?” one of them said. “All the seniors have fled. We’re getting bad news from everywhere. Attacks on police stations. The fact that we’ve hung on for so long is to our credit.”

Someone has spray-painted ‘Harun’s eatery is closed’ on the side of the DB office. Harunor Rashid, the police official who also played a central role in the anti-government movement, had his office there.

A few people could be seen at the bank opposite the DB office.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Media Centre is next to the bank. A few red-eyed policemen were there too.

One of them asked in a teary voice, “Do you know how many people died at Badda Police Station?”

A DB Sub Inspector screamed: “Harun never asked after us. He never cared what we ate, how we lived. But when actresses came, he would order food from Sheraton.”

The policemen had only anger on their faces.

The DMP Headquarters is to the right of the media centre on 36 Minto Road. Not a single policeman could be seen at the neat, clean office. A few curious onlookers were peeking inside. Rows of cars stood empty on the premises.

The Officers’ Quarter and the ministers’ homes on Bailey Road stood empty too.

There were a few people inside the bungalow of the minister for religious affairs on 25 Bailey Road. When this reporter called to try and talk to them, they ran away.