PM visits violence-hit BTV Bhaban

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the violence-hit state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban at Rampura in the capital city on Friday morning. 

She entered the BTV Bhaban around 9:13am and inspected all the sections damaged heavily in Thursday's 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. 

High officials including its Director General Dr. Md. Jahangir Alam gave a brief description of the insane rampage in the BTV Bhaban.

A video presentation on the vandalism in BTV Headquarters and BTV Bhaban was also screened on the occasion. 

The Prime Minister was seen consoling crying General Manager of BTV Mahfuza Akter.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat was present during the visit. 

Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain, Principal Secretary Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah and PM's Speech Writer M Nazrul Islam were present, among others.

In the afternoon of July 18, miscreants in large numbers entered the BTV Bhaban by breaking its main gate. 

They first set fire on several vehicles parked there and later went inside the BTV Bhaban and damaged and torched various sections at different floors.

Around 6pm the same day, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) took control of the BTV. 

The Premier visited the BTV Bhaban, a day after her visit to the damaged Mirpur-10 Metrorail Station on Wednesday morning.

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, etc, also vandalised during the rampage.