Protesters tear down symbols of AL’s fascist rule in at least 21 districts

Aggrieved students and people continued carrying out demolition and arson across the country on Thursday, targeting establishments and installations associated with ousted fascist Awami League (AL) and its leadership.

The vandalism began with the demolition and burning of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Dhanmondi 32 residence and Sheikh Hasina’s Sudha Sadan residence in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Shortly after, similar attacks were carried out in at least twenty-one districts, knocking down fourteen houses belonging to senior AL leaders, two AL party offices, a shrine, and twenty-four murals and portraits as of Thursday evening.

The incidents were reported in Khulna, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jashore, Barishal, Bhola, Pirojpur, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Chattogram, Cumilla, Noakhali, Narayanganj, Naogaon, and Jamalpur.

Groups identifying themselves as “student-people” claimed responsibility, citing a speech by deposed despot Sheikh Hasina via social media as the catalyst for their actions.

According to their statement, Hasina’s remarks, made while she is in India, are perceived as inflammatory, triggering a fierce public outcry that quickly escalated into violence.

Meanwhile, terming the vandalism at Dhanmondi-32 unintended and unwanted, the interim government said Sheikh Hasina's provocative statement against the July Uprising while in India had created deep anger in public mind, which was expressed.

"There was no attack or vandalism of any kind at this house in the last six months. This [vandalism] happened last night centring the speech of the fugitive Sheikh Hasina…," a statement issued by the interim government said.

Examining the speech in two parts, the statement said Hasina had insulted and disdained those who sacrificed themselves in the July uprising.

"By making irrelevant, vulgar and hateful remarks regarding the death of the martyr, the fugitive Sheikh Hasina has disrespected and humiliated the July Uprising," the statement added.

Secondly, Hasina, despite fleeing in the face of the mass uprising, spoke in the same tone she used to speak when she was in power, threatening every person who had participated in the mass uprising.

"Hasina is continuing to inflict one blow after another on the wounds left in the minds of the people by the July massacre. In response to her violent behaviour, the vandalism of House-32 has occurred."

Political parties, including the BNP also blamed Sheikh Hasina’s actions for provoking the mass backlash, arguing that her influence from exile has fueled nationwide unrest.

Concerns persist over whether a third force might exploit the turmoil for its own agenda, they, however, warned.

Meanwhile, political analysts warn that the crisis could escalate if left unchecked.

Incidents across the country

On Wednesday night, the protesters demolished parts of the Dhanmondi-32 residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with a bulldozer and excavator and set it ablaze. On Thursday, they repeated the same act.

Sudha Sadan, the residence of Sheikh Hasina, located on Road 5 in Dhanmondi, was set on fire on Wednesday.

In Khulna, part of “Sheikh Bari” at Moylapota was demolished with two excavators on Wednesday night. The house belongs to Sheikh Abu Naser, the uncle of the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sheikh Hasina’s cousin Sheikh Helal Uddin, Jubo League leader Sheikh Sohel Uddin, and their family members lived in this house, which essentially served as the centre of the Awami League's politics in the southern region.

Previously, the house had been set on fire by students and locals on 4 August last year. After the mass uprising on 5 August, vandalism, arson, and looting were again carried out.

Meanwhile, the mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, located in front of the main gate of Khulna University, was demolished on Wednesday night.

In Kushtia, part of the house owned by Awami League Joint General Secretary and former MP for Kushtia-3 constituency, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, was demolished with an excavator on Wednesday night. This house had also been vandalised and set on fire on 4 and 5 August last year.

In addition, agitating students erased the names of Sheikh Hasina and her family members from three halls at the Islamic University of Kushtia.

In Chuadanga, four murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib were vandalised in the district town on Wednesday night. Additionally, the district Awami League office was also vandalised.

In Jashore, seven sculptures, murals, and nameplates of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina were destroyed between 11:30pm on Wednesday and the early hours of Thursday.

The angry students vandalised these establishments with hammers. In this regard, Rashed Khan, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Jashore, said that there had been no instruction from the district committee of the movement to vandalise Sheikh Mujib’s mural, and they did not know who was responsible for the act.

Meanwhile, a mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and a sculpture of former Education Minister ASSK Sadeq were smashed in Keshabpur.

In Barisal, the houses of former Mayor and Awami League leader Sadiq Abdullah and veteran Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu were demolished with bulldozers. People under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement gathered in front of Sadiq Abdullah’s residence on Kalibari Road. At around 1:30am on Thursday, a portion of the ground floor was demolished with a bulldozer, and later, the third floor was set on fire.

Sadiq Abdullah’s father, former MP Abul Hasanat Abdullah, is the president of the Barishal District Awami League and the cousin of Hasina.

In Bhola, the residence of veteran Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed was vandalised and set alight early on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses reported that around 12:30 am, a group of people broke into the gate of the house “Priya Kutir” on Gazipur Road in Sadar and entered inside. They carried out extensive vandalism, breaking doors and windows, and brought pictures, crests, and documents from the walls to the street, setting them on fire.

In Pirojpur, people vandalised and set fire to the house of former MP AKMA Awal and his brother, former Mayor Habibur Rahman. The incident occurred on Parerhat Road in the city around 1am. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government during the mass uprising, these two houses were also set on fire multiple times on 5 and 6 August.

In Sylhet, the mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of the deputy commissioner’s (DC) office was demolished with an excavator. Around 9:30pm on Wednesday, anti-discrimination students from the Kinbridge area of the city arrived with a bulldozer and began demolishing the mural.

In Sunamganj, five murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in five institutions of the Sunamganj municipality and a shrine in a neighbourhood of the district town were vandalised by an ‘angry crowd’ on Wednesday night.

Eyewitnesses reported that a group of students gathered at the municipal building, where they vandalised a mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They then went to the town’s heritage museum premises and destroyed another mural. One by one, murals at the District Freedom Fighters' Congress, District Council, and Sadar Upazila Council were demolished. Later that night, a small house known as 'Dongka Shah's Shrine' on the south side of Hussain Bakht Chattar was also destroyed.

In Rangpur, the murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Begum Rokeya University and Carmichael College were demolished on Wednesday night. Leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination student movement at the two institutions were responsible for vandalising the murals.

In Rajshahi, the village house of former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam was set on fire on Thursday. The house, located in Chaksinga Mahalla in Bagha Upazila of Rajshahi, was torched, along with Shahriar Alam's training centre in Safari village, Manigram Union.

Meanwhile, a group of students erased nameplates, graffiti, and wall writings bearing the names of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members. Additionally, the house of Md.

Nowshad Ali, former principal of Rajshahi Medical College and organising secretary of the central committee of the Swadhinata Medical Council (Swachip), was vandalised.

In Natore, agitated students and a mob set fire to the Jannati Palace of former MP Shafiqul Islam (Shimul) in the district town again. The incident took place in the Kandivitua area of the city around 12:30 am.

In Pabna, a group of people under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement demolished the upazila Awami League office in Ishwardi using excavators. The nameplates of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina residential halls at Pabna Science and Technology University and the nameplate of Sheikh Russell residential hall at Government Edward College were also damaged.

In Mymensingh, people associated with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement smashed the mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The mural was vandalised on Wednesday using hammers and machetes. Ali Hossain, member secretary of the Mymensingh District Committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said, "After fleeing the country, the fallen dictator Sheikh Hasina is once again trying to create anarchy in the country through video messages. The students and people of the country will not accept this evil act. As a symbol of this, students and the public have demolished the sculpture, just as they did at No. 32 in Dhanmondi."

On the other hand, the 'Mujib Mural' at Bangabandhu Hall was demolished at the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam University located in Trishal.

In Kishoreganj, the ‘protesters’ declared the Kishoreganj district Awami League office as a public toilet.

In Chittagong, murals and portraits of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Russel were vandalised in different areas of the city and district on Wednesday night. Sources reported that a group of students took part in a procession protesting a speech by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the city around 10:00 am. They marched with torches and went to Chattogram Medical College, where they vandalised a mural behind the Old Academic Building. Later, they went to the Jamal Khan area and attacked a mural beneath the Chattogram Press Club, damaging several portraits on the wall of Dr Khastagir Government Girls High School. Some aggrieved students also vandalised the mural of Sheikh Mujib and Sheikh Russel on the campus of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) that night.

In Cumilla, the house of former MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar was vandalised and set on fire.

In Noakhali, agitated students and a mob attacked, vandalised, set fire to, and looted the village house of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader in Companiganj Upazila. The incident occurred around 1:00 am on Thursday.

In Naogaon, the party office of the Awami League and the house of former Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder were smashed and torched on Thursday afternoon.

In Jamalpur, the residence of Meher Afroj Shaon, wife of writer and dramatist Humayun Ahmed, was set on fire in the Nurundi Railway Station area on Thursday evening.

On Thursday night, the Detective Branch (DB) of police detained actress Meher Afroz Shaon from Dhanmondi, alleging her involvement in plotting against the state. Authorities confirmed that she would be presented in court, where a remand would be sought for further interrogation.

India hasn’t responded to Bangladesh’s request, minister tells Rajya Sabha

India’s Upper House of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, was informed on Thursday that the country had not responded to Bangladesh’s request for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina.

In response to a query from lawmaker John Brittas, Minister of State for External Affairs Kiriti Vardhan Singh told the upper house that Bangladesh had sought the extradition of Sheikh Hasina for offences committed before she arrived in India on 5 August 2024.

No response has been conveyed to the Government of Bangladesh, he informed the house.