DHAKA, July 30, 2024 (BSS) - State-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV), a class one KPI institution, is still reeling from the shock of rampage it witnessed on July 18 as miscreants and terrorists carried out massive attack on its Dhaka centre and headquarters forcing to keep shut its transmission nearly 19-hour.

Though BTV resumed its transmission on the next day, it is yet to use its full strength as the officials concerned are still facing accommodation and other support facilities, said BTV's Dhaka Centre general manager Mahafuza Aktar.

Security forces are now ensuring security at the state-owned television center but its officials and employees are yet to come out from the shock.

The anarchy and destruction that took place in BTV Bhaban is indescribable. After 1975, the state broadcaster has not witnessed such violence. Every spot of the BTV is bearing the scratches of arson, vandalism, looting and brutality.

Using the quota movement as a shield, the miscreants and terrorists launched their atrocities in the state's important KPI organization BTV by vandalizing its three main gates.

Talking to BSS, BTV Director General Dr. Md. Jahangir Alam said in the afternoon of July 18, miscreants in large numbers entered the BTV Bhaban by breaking its main gate.
 
The rowdy attackers first set fire on several vehicles parked there and later went inside the BTV Bhaban and damaged and torched various sections at different floors, he said.

According to reports, the rampant terrorists even didn't heed to the supplication of BTV's officers and staff.

The significant parts of the state's important institution were burnt down in no time in the fire of miscreants' grievances.

Even the fire service vehicles were not allowed to enter the BTV Bhaban to extinguish the blaze. Moreover, several vehicles of the fire service were badly vandalized.

After that, the terrorist group vandalized up to the 6th floor of the BTV headquarters building, the Mujib Corner and BTV Museum located on the ground floor in a militant manner. They also vandalized and looted several cameras preserved in the museum.

BTV canteen and computer lab were vandalized and looted while 17 vehicles were set on fire and nine more were wrecked. The state-of-art outdoor broadcasting van of the state broadcaster was also vandalized.

On July 26, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the violence-hit state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban at Rampura in the capital.
 
She inspected all the sections damaged heavily in the mayhem by the BNP-Jamaat clique taking advantage of the quota-reform movement.
 
The Prime Minister was seen disappointed and unhappy after witnessing the magnitude of devastation in the BTV Bhaban.
 
She was also seen teary-eyed while the air had become heavy as BTV officials were trying to hold back their tears after seeing the wreckage of devastation at the BTV Bhaban.

According to the available statistics provided by the BTV, the rampage left havoc in the BTV's various infrastructures, broadcasting equipments, design section, office building and rooms.
 
In the vandalism, a Television museum, decorated with invaluable antiques preserved since 1964 was badly damaged and so with the Mujib Corner, memorials of the Liberation War, reception and waiting room furniture, computers, air-conditioners (AC) and other items.
 
About 40 computers, 100 television sets and furniture in the computer lab, training room and preview room were also damaged.
 
Lifts, network equipments, CC cameras and monitoring sets were also badly rampaged.
 
Vehicular buildings and sheds, canteen and security monitoring rooms; 17 vehicles including a broadcast OB van, 21 motorcycles were set on fire while nine vehicles were vandalized.
 
Apart from these, the auditorium, lounge, design, make-up, workshop, graphics room, store /wardrobe rooms and 20 graphic's computers were also rampaged.
 
Design sheds, studio roofs, walls, buildings and civil infrastructures; central air-conditioning system and about 70 split air-conditioners (AC); official furniture, five photocopy machines, and about 50 official computers were also havocked.
 
One hundred monitoring sets, including 10 computer workstations, electric cables, switches, tactile appliances, recording cameras, lighting sources and related equipments; important official files, documents, artist honorarium-related ledgers, bank books, vouchers, audit bills and etc also vandalised during the rampage.