TDS Desk:

Narayanganj district has incurred losses of Tk 200 crore after unidentified miscreants vandalised and set fire to the regional passport office, incinerating 8,000 passports, along with 17 other government and private establishments and at least 65 vehicles during the quota reform movement, the Narayanganj deputy commissioner’s (DC) office has said.

Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad MahmudulHaque said, “The Public Works Department is assessing the damage under government directives. Preliminary findings indicate losses amounting to Tk 200 crore in Narayanganj, with further evaluations likely to increase this figure.”

The total damage to the Narayanganj passport office alone is estimated at Tk 3.27 crore.

Important documents, including passports of at least 8,000 citizens, were destroyed during the vandalism surrounding the quota reform movement, causing severe inconvenience to those affected.

According to officials, the passport office will not be able to resume normal operations for another six months.

Reports indicate that the Narayanganj regional passport office typically processes around 300 applications per day. These applicants will now have to apply through the regional offices in Narsingdi, Munshiganj, and Keraniganj, leading to increased inconvenience, longer processing times, and additional financial burdens for Narayanganj residents.

Security Services Division Senior Secretary MdMashiur Rahman NDC told The Business Post, “Applicants from Narayanganj will be divided into three groups for service until the local passport office is repaired. This temporary arrangement aims to provide continued service to the public from these three locations until the Narayanganj office is operational again.”

According to reports, miscreants unleashed violence in various areas of Narayanganj under the guise of the quota reform movement. The Narayanganj regional passport office, the PBI office, the District Youth Development Office, the City Corporation’s Nagar Bhaban, NOM Park, Narayanganj Club, a highway police outpost, Industrial Police-4 camp, Palli Samiti-2, banks, hospitals and clinics, the district Awami League office, and several garment factories were set ablaze, along with at least 17 government and private establishments.

Before setting them on fire, the miscreants vandalised these establishments and looted their belongings. Among the damaged properties were eight government institutions and vehicles, 24 AC buses of Sheetal AC Transport Ltd operating on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route, 27 vehicles including food transport trucks and ambulances on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, and two fire service vehicles that responded to extinguish the fires. Additionally, around 20 motorcycles were also set on fire.

Those affected have reported significant losses — the PBI office lost five vehicles amounting to Tk 10 crore, the Narayanganj City Corporation’s Nagar Bhaban sustained damage worth at least Tk 50 crore, and SB Fashion Garments Ltd suffered losses of Tk 115 crore. Furthermore, NOM Park incurred damages of approximately Tk 5 crore, 24 buses of Sheetal AC Transport Ltd were damaged, resulting in losses of Tk 15 crore, and Golden Fiber Glass Boat Builders in Signboard reported losses of Tk 10 crore, according to the damage assessment by the Narayanganj deputy commissioner’s office.

Narayanganj PBI Superintendent of Police Md Al MamunShikder said, “Clashes took place between protesters and law enforcement agencies during the quota reform movement. When the law enforcement retreated, unidentified perpetrators attacked the PBI office, setting it on fire and looting various important documents. They also set fire to numerous other government, private establishments, and vehicles.”