Angry protesters demolished 'Baitul Aman', the ancestral residence of former Narayanganj MP Shamim Osman, also known as an important early meeting place in the history of the Awami League.
The protestors started dismantling the building, located in the heart of the Chashara area, around 7pm on Thursday.
Witnesses said that the building was first set on fire before the demolition began. The vandalism continued until the time of reporting, around 10 pm.
Earlier in the evening, Metropolitan BNP convener Advocate Sakhawat Hossain Khan and member secretary Advocate Abu Al Yusuf Khan Tipu gathered a large crowd in the Missionpara area of the city.
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From there, they led a protest procession to Baitul Aman in the Chashara area. Bulldozers had already been parked at the site, and demolition work soon began.
The boundaries of Baitul Aman were initially broken with bulldozers, followed by the destruction of the building itself.
Advocate Abu Al Yusuf Khan Tipu, member secretary of the Metropolitan BNP, said, "Just as the people of the country are angry with the Awami League, the people of Narayanganj are also angry with the Osman family. They have angered the people of Narayanganj so much that it is being expressed by demolishing Baitul Aman."
Local sources indicate that the Language Movement began at Baitul Aman in the Chashara area of Narayanganj city. From the 1952 Language Movement to the 1971 War of Independence, Baitul Aman played a crucial role in various movements and struggles.
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The building was owned by Khan Saheb Osman Ali, and later led by his son AKM Shamsuzzoha and his three sons — the late AKM Nasim Osman, AKM Selim Osman, and AKM Shamim Osman — who all played significant roles in different political activities.
While Baitul Aman was vandalised following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, it was not demolished at that time.
This time, however, the building is being completely torn down.