A case has been filed in connection with the attack and vandalism on a residential hotel during a protest march and rally in Sylhet to protest the Israeli massacre in Gaza. Abdul Matin Sarkar, the manager (operations) of the Royal Mark Hotel in the city's Mirboxtula area, filed the case as the plaintiff on Tuesday morning. Without mentioning any names, 30 to 40 unidentified people have been named as accused in the case.Confirming the case, Additional Deputy Commissioner (North) of the Metropolitan Police Md. Shahriar Alam told Prothom Alo that a case has been filed today in connection with the vandalism. The case alleges that the hotel suffered damage of Tk 20 to 2.5 million. He said that the police are conducting a drive to arrest those involved in the attack and vandalism. 14 people have been arrested in connection with the attack and vandalism at various businesses in Sylhet between Monday night and 10 am today.
Abdul Matin Sarkar, the plaintiff in the case, told Prothom Alo that the attackers appeared to have carried out the attack intentionally. The attackers covered their faces with cloth during the attack. They also used slingshots, hammers and axes during the attack and vandalism. Glass from the road to the sixth floor was vandalized with slingshots.
Abdul Matin also said that there was only KFC on the second floor of the 14-story building. The hotel staff of the attackers repeatedly told them that the hotel had no connection with KFC. They hung banners and Palestinian flags in front of the hotel in protest of Israel's genocide on behalf of Palestine. Even then, the attackers did not listen to them. Seven to eight hotel employees were injured while trying to stop the attackers. He said that they have collected videos and pictures of the attackers and provided them to the police. It is possible to identify the attackers by looking at them. He demanded that the attackers be identified and brought to justice.
Sylhet city has been in turmoil since yesterday morning with various programs including protests in protest of the Israeli attack and barbaric killings in Gaza. In the afternoon, an angry mob vandalized a KFC in the city's Mirboxtula area. Then, about 10 other establishments, including Bata, Unimart, and Alpine Restaurant, were vandalized. Later, members of the law enforcement agencies went to control the situation.