Case Sought Against Yunus and 26 Others Over Dhanmondi 32

A petition seeking a criminal case against Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus, former law adviser Dr Asif Nazrul and 25 others has been filed over the alleged vandalism, looting and arson at the historic Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka.

The petition also names between 3,000 and 5,000 unidentified people as accused in connection with the incident.

The application was submitted on Thursday, 20 August, before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jewel Rana. A woman identified as Tamanna Chowdhury Priyanka filed the petition as the complainant.

The court recorded the complainant’s statement and kept the matter pending for an order, according to AKM Sharif Uddin, a lawyer representing the complainant.

Among the other prominent individuals named in the petition are former advisers Dr Rezwanna Hasan, Shafiqul Alam, Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Mustafa Sarwar Faruqui, Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan and Mahfuz Alam. The list also includes Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Akhter Hossain, Abdul Hannan Masud, Nusrat Tabassum, Dr Tasnim Jara, Nasiruddin Patwari, Pinaki Bhattacharya, Elias Hossain and Kanak Sarwar, among others.

According to the allegations contained in the petition, the accused entered the Dhanmondi 32 premises in a pre-planned manner and broke through the main gate before carrying out acts of vandalism.

The complainant alleges that bulldozers were subsequently brought to the site at the instigation and direction of the accused. The historic building was allegedly demolished, while documents, memorabilia and other items were looted. The petition further alleges that the property was set on fire, leaving the site in ruins.

Dhanmondi 32 holds considerable historical significance in Bangladesh. The building was the residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and has long been associated with major events in the country’s political history. It was also used as a museum, with personal belongings, documents and other objects connected to his life and political career displayed there.

The allegations in the petition therefore concern not only damage to a physical structure but also the destruction and removal of materials regarded by the complainant as historically significant. However, the claims remain allegations at this stage and would have to be established through due legal process.

The complainant has invoked several provisions of the Penal Code, as well as relevant sections of the Explosives Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act. The petition also seeks arrest warrants against the accused.

The court has yet to decide whether to take the case forward and what legal action, if any, should follow. The next stage will depend on the order issued by the magistrate after considering the complainant’s statement and the contents of the petition.

The filing comes amid continuing legal and political disputes surrounding events connected with Dhanmondi 32. Any investigation or subsequent judicial proceedings would be expected to determine the circumstances of the alleged destruction, identify those responsible and establish whether the specific allegations made against the named individuals are supported by evidence.