Just after midnight on September 25, more than 200 masked individuals stormed the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1, northwest Dhaka, tying up security personnel and looting vaccines, ultrasound machines, medicines, and computers before demolishing the clinic with an excavator. By morning, the facility, which had provided maternal and child health services to Mirpur residents for nearly 50 years, lay in ruins, replaced by another organization’s sign.
Mirpur, historically one of Dhaka’s poorest neighborhoods and home to families displaced by the 1971 war and the 1973 famine, has undergone rapid transformation. Though still a mixed community of low-income and newly upwardly mobile residents, rising land values have increased pressures on properties like Radda’s clinic.
Founded from Swedish aid efforts dating back to 1974, the clinic was saved from closure in the 1990s when Kazi Fazlur Rahman, a former government official, helped register it as a Bangladeshi trust and led efforts to make it financially sustainable. Under his guidance, Radda implemented cost-cutting measures, formalized staff benefits including maternity leave and childcare, and reduced dependency on foreign aid. By 2008, it was fully self-sufficient, offering affordable vaccinations, diagnostic services, and training for health workers from organizations such as BRAC.
Operating on government land leased at nominal rent, Radda has been a key partner in Bangladesh’s public health initiatives, including vaccine delivery. Its staff comprises 70% women, reflecting its focus on serving poor mothers and children.
In the days following the attack, police arrested approximately a dozen suspects and recovered much of the stolen equipment. The Home Minister acknowledged failures by law enforcement and removed the officer in charge at the Shah Ali Police Station, emphasizing that political connections would not shield perpetrators.
Despite these steps, observers stress that addressing only the individuals who physically destroyed the clinic ignores those who planned and benefited from the raid. Radda’s leadership has historically faced pressure over the valuable land it occupies, including a prior incident where land grabbers seized part of the site with police inaction, now developed as a 10-story market.
The incident has disrupted critical healthcare services, particularly immunisation programs. Important patient records were stolen, including information on children’s vaccination schedules and pregnant women’s checkups, raising concerns about missed doses and diminished care.
Yet, the clinic’s staff resumed operations within days, reopening vaccination and maternal health services in two cleared rooms and serving dozens seeking care despite the building’s damaged state.
Radda’s founder’s family has called on the government to fully compensate the organization without delay and to reclaim costs from those responsible through legal channels. They also urge formalization of Radda’s long-term lease to prevent future land disputes, along with prompt replacement of the stolen vaccines.
The case highlights broader challenges in protecting Bangladesh’s public health infrastructure amid rising urban land conflicts and underscores the need for decisive government action to uphold the rule of law and support vital health services.