Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh expressed their anger at exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday by attacking a family home that had come to symbolize the country’s independence and, according to protesters, the authoritarianism they associate with her leadership.
The incident was sparked by Hasina’s planned speech to her supporters from exile in neighboring India, where she fled last year after a deadly student-led uprising against her 15-year rule. Critics had accused her of suppressing dissent during her time in office.
The house, located in the capital Dhaka, had been home to Hasina’s late father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of Bangladesh’s independence movement who declared the country’s break from Pakistan in 1971. He was assassinated there in 1975.
Hasina later transformed the house into a museum. Since her exile, some of her supporters have tried to gather at the house but have been met with violent opposition from Hasina’s critics, who have also targeted other symbols of her government and party.
On Wednesday, protesters threatened to demolish the house if Hasina went ahead with her speech, which was intended to launch a month-long protest program by her Awami League political party.
The party is attempting to gain support amid accusations of attacks on its members and other Hasina backers. As Hasina began her speech, protesters stormed the house, tearing down the brick walls, and later brought in machinery like a crane and excavator to demolish the building.
In response to the destruction, Hasina stated, “They may destroy a building, but they won’t be able to erase the history.” She called on the people of Bangladesh to resist the new leadership, accusing them of taking power through unconstitutional means.
A student leader, Hasnat Abdullah, had previously warned media outlets not to air Hasina’s speech, declaring that “tonight Bangladesh will be freed from the pilgrimage site of fascism.” Many protesters chanted slogans calling for Hasina’s execution for her alleged role in the deaths of hundreds during last year’s uprising, one of the most intense periods of unrest in Bangladesh since its independence. Hasina had called for a UN investigation into those deaths.
Protesters also voiced opposition to India, and the interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, has sought Hasina’s extradition, although India has not yet responded. Overnight, several homes and businesses belonging to Hasina’s supporters were reportedly targeted in a series of attacks.
The interim government, struggling to maintain order and prevent violence against Hasina’s supporters, has accused the former prime minister of corruption and human rights abuses during her time in power from 2009 onward.
In turn, Hasina’s Awami League has accused the Yunus-led government of violating human rights and oppressing Bangladesh’s minority groups, though these claims have been denied by authorities.
While Human Rights Watch has praised some of the interim government’s reforms, it has also highlighted a concerning resurgence of security force abuses after Hasina’s ousting.
The organization reported that police are once again detaining individuals arbitrarily and filing mass criminal complaints against unnamed people, creating an environment where anyone can be intimidated or threatened with arrest.
