Chattogram Ancestral Home of Former Education Minister Targeted in Arson Attack

The ancestral residence of former Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury was vandalised and set on fire by unidentified assailants in Chattogram during the early hours of Friday (6 August). The targeted property, situated in the city’s Chashma Hill neighbourhood, holds significant historical political prominence as the family estate of the late ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, three-time Mayor of Chattogram and veteran politician.

The incident unfolded at approximately 2:00 am when a group of miscreants launched a coordinated assault on the compound. According to local residents, the attackers forcibly breached the property before systematically ransacking interior rooms and attempting to set the building alight. The fire subsequently ignited the property’s domestic gas supply line, causing flames to spread rapidly. Local community members who noticed the smoke and commotion rushed toward the premises, prompting the perpetrators to abandon the scene and escape into adjacent lanes.

No casualties were reported from the scene, as the estate was unoccupied by family members at the time of the breach. In the wake of political developments following 5 August 2024, the Chowdhury household had remained largely vacant, maintained primarily by private security personnel.

Emergency services, including units from the Fire Service and Civil Defence alongside local law enforcement teams, arrived shortly after the alarm was raised. Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze before it could inflict catastrophic structural damage on the building.

Confirming the sequence of events, Md. Zahedul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Panchlaish Police Station, noted that law enforcement officers responded immediately to emergency dispatches at approximately 2:00 am. He affirmed that a rigorous investigation is actively being conducted to ascertain the motives, pinpoint the individuals responsible, and assess the full monetary extent of property damages. Heightened police patrols and static security deployments remain in force throughout the Panchlaish jurisdiction to preserve public order.