Hanged war criminal Salauddin Quader’s home attacked in Chattogram

The home of hanged war criminal and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury at Goods Hill in Chattogram city has come under attack after his brother allegedly made comments threatening Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

People employed for maintenance of the house said 50 to 60 people took part in the rampage around 7:30pm on Wednesday.

They could not identify the attackers, but Salauddin’s brother Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury, who had reportedly threatened Hasina, blamed Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling Awami League’s student affiliate, for the attack. 

A team from Kotwali Police Station went to the area after the incident, but did not enter the house as the main gate was closed.

Sub-Inspector Bikash Sheel told bdnews24.com they found no one at the scene.

“We haven’t received any complaint yet,” he said later in the night.

Nurul Islam, a caretaker there, said the attackers carrying sticks entered the house by climbing the boundary wall around 7:40pm.

They vandalised the guardroom and an adjoining office before smashing eight cars at the garage, Nurul said.

Several witnesses said the attackers also set fire to papers brought from the house on the street outside it.

Security guard Mojibur Rahman said the attackers threatened him with death.

The three brothers of Salauddin, including BNP leader Giasuddin and Saifuddin Quader Chowdhury, also live in the house.

Giasuddin, a vice chairman of the BNP, reportedly told a party prgramme at Fatikchharhi in Chattogram on Tuesday that Hasina “will face a fate worse than her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had”, referring to the Aug 15, 1975 assassination of the father of the nation and most members of the family.

Jamal Uddin, a local leader of BCL, started a case against Giasuddin on charges of threatening to kill Hasina, making derogatory remarks, bombing in front of the programme venue, and using gun to chase away people.

The house of the Chowdhury brothers came under attack hours after BCL leaders and activists headed by Arshedul Alam Bachchu, a former leader of the organisation’s port city unit, demonstrated against Giasuddin’s alleged comments at the GEC intersection on Wednesday afternoon.

Some plant tubs and chairs were vandalised in front of the house.

A car in front of the house and those in the garage, and furniture on the veranda were also smashed.

Speaking to bdnews24.com by phone, Giasuddin alleged BCL leaders and activists shouting ‘Joy Bangla’ carried out the ‘premeditated’ attack.

The BNP leader said he was not at home during the attack.

He alleged police officials did not take their phone calls after the incident.

Watch video: SQ Chy’s Goods Hill residence, a torture cell