Dhanmondi 32 Case Application Rejected by Court

A Dhaka court has rejected a petition seeking to initiate a case against 27 people, including former interim government Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and former Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, over alleged vandalism and arson at the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32.

The petition was dismissed on the grounds that there were insufficient grounds to proceed with the case, according to the state counsel.

The application was filed on Thursday (20 August) by a woman identified as Tamanna Chowdhury Priyanka before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jewel Rana. The court recorded the complainant’s statement and subsequently reserved its order. After considering the application, the court dismissed it, saying there was not enough material to take the case forward, state counsel Shamsuddoha Sumon said.

The petition named a number of former government officials and political figures as accused alongside Yunus and Nazrul. They included former Environment and Disaster Management Adviser Dr Syeda Rizwana Hasan, former Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, former Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and former Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki.

Several senior figures of the National Citizens Party were also named. They included its convener Nahid Islam, spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, former interim government adviser Mahfuz Alam, member secretary Akhter Hossain, southern region chief organiser and MP Md Hasan Abdullah, and Noakhali-6 MP Abdul Hannan Masud.

The list also included northern region chief organiser Sarjis Alam, senior joint convener Samanta Sharmin, nominated reserved-seat MP Nusrat Tabassum, former senior joint member secretary and independent candidate in the 13th parliamentary election Dr Tasnim Zara, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, senior joint convener and Dhaka North city convener Ariful Islam Adib, and joint member secretary Salehuddin Sifat.

Online activist and political analyst Pinaki Bhattacharya, online activist Ilias Hossain, activist Konok Sarwar, former colonel Nurnabi, Tahreema Jannat Survi, Md Milon, Fahim Al Chowdhury and Abul Kalam Azad were also named as accused.

Allegations concerning the Dhanmondi 32 attack

According to the petition, a large group of people gathered at Dhanmondi 32 on 5 February 2025, allegedly with the direct support, encouragement or assistance of the named accused. The complainant claimed that between 3,000 and 5,000 unidentified people were also involved.

The petition alleged that the group was equipped with sticks, hammers, inflammable substances and other potentially dangerous objects before attacking the residence associated with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The alleged attack reportedly began at around 10pm. According to the complaint, the attackers entered the premises, vandalised the building and set parts of it on fire. Historical artefacts, documents relating to the Liberation War, documentaries, books and other materials were allegedly damaged or taken away.

The petition further alleged that heavy machinery, including two bulldozers, an excavator and hammers, was brought to the site. Demolition work allegedly continued throughout the night and into the following day, with the complainant claiming that the building was reduced to rubble by around 5pm on 6 February.

Another allegation concerned activity on social media. The petition claimed that some of the accused used YouTube and Facebook livestreams to encourage or support the vandalism, arson and removal of documents and papers from the premises. It also alleged that some individuals provided financial assistance for the activities.

The complainant further alleged that the authorities responsible for protecting the building took no effective action despite prior announcements concerning the planned activities.

These allegations formed the basis of the petition, but the court did not find sufficient grounds to register the case. The dismissal means that the application, in its present form, will not proceed as a criminal case before the magistrate’s court.

The Dhanmondi 32 residence has long been associated with Bangladesh’s political history and with the life and legacy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The events surrounding the destruction of the premises in February 2025 subsequently became the subject of political debate and competing claims over responsibility. The latest court order concerns the specific case petition filed over those events and does not, by itself, constitute a judicial determination on every allegation contained in the complaint.