Cleaner Arrested for Arson at Dhaka Education Office, Laptops Destroyed

In a shocking turn of events, authorities in Dhaka have arrested a cleaner and two other employees in connection with a fire that ravaged a storeroom at the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) in Mirpur. The incident, which occurred early Friday, saw a significant portion of 735 laptops, intended for distribution to field-level offices, destroyed or damaged. Police allege that the cleaner, Asmaul Islam, confessed to deliberately setting the fire as part of a deal worth Tk 5 lakh, having already received Tk 80,000.

This brazen act of arson, if proven, represents a grave betrayal of public trust and a significant financial loss for the government, estimated to be between Tk 2 crore and Tk 3 crore. The involvement of the store in-charge and a storekeeper in the alleged conspiracy raises serious questions about internal security and accountability within the DPE. Police are actively investigating the motive behind the arson and exploring the possibility of wider involvement in the planning stages.

The Directorate of Primary Education, responsible for crucial educational initiatives, now faces the daunting task of recovering from this incident. The loss of valuable equipment intended for educational purposes is a blow to the government's efforts to improve digital infrastructure in schools. As the investigation unfolds and the arrested individuals are brought before the court, the nation awaits further details on how such a destructive act could have been orchestrated within a government office. This incident underscores the persistent challenges of corruption and internal sabotage that can undermine public service delivery.

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He was given financial inducement. There was a deal for Tk 5 lakh. He received Tk 80,000 in cash