Gazipur Model Mosque Targeted Twice by Thieves Prompting Security Probe

Repeated burglaries at the newly constructed Kaliganj Upazila Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre in Gazipur have triggered serious security concerns, leaving local authorities scrambling to address security lapses at the government-funded facility. Intruders broke into the premises twice within a fortnight, dismantling bathroom fittings, damaging office property, and tearing away exterior tiles before fleeing undetected.

The most recent break-in occurred on the night of 25 July, when thieves removed tiles from the dining room sunshade to gain entry into the main building. Once inside, the perpetrators stole two water taps and two large pipe fittings from the washrooms. They proceeded to force open the lock on the southern gate, ransacking administrative rooms spanning from the first floor to the roof level on the third floor. Five washrooms were forcibly entered during the rampage, with fourteen additional taps stolen from the private facilities used by the mosque’s imam and muezzin.

This incident follows an earlier intrusion on 14 July. Staff returning to work the following morning discovered that trespassers had squeezed through the iron grilles of the ablution area adjacent to the generator room, escaping with nineteen taps and a showerhead.

Deeply alarmed by the recurring security breaches, caretaker Md Alamgir Hossain formally reported the matters to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) on Monday afternoon. The written report called for an immediate investigation, swift administrative action, and a comprehensive overhaul of security measures to safeguard the complex against future vandalism.

Acknowledging the complaint, Kaliganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer ATM Kamrul Islam confirmed that an initial assessment pointed towards operational negligence by an official associated with the Islamic Foundation. He assured that the matter is being thoroughly investigated and that appropriate disciplinary measures will follow. Meanwhile, the Officer-in-Charge of Kaliganj Police Station, Md Zakir Hossain, stated that while a formal written complaint had yet to be filed with the police, law enforcement would initiate immediate legal proceedings upon receiving the official documentation.

The incidents have drawn widespread public attention due to the high profile of the installation. The complex forms part of the government’s flagship mega-project to construct 564 Model Mosques and Islamic Cultural Centres across Bangladesh. Designed to modernize religious infrastructure, these multi-storey complexes serve as hubs for daily prayers, Islamic research, library services, primary education, and community welfare programmes. Overseen by the Ministry of Religious Affairs alongside the Islamic Foundation, the multi-billion-taka initiative represents one of the country’s most significant public investments in civic and religious architecture.

The ease with which intruders repeatedly targeted the Kaliganj facility has raised sharp questions regarding night-time guardianship and basic surveillance at state-funded institutions. Local residents and worshippers have expressed dismay over the desecration and theft at a sacred space, urging authorities to deploy permanent security personnel and install modern closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to protect public property.