DHAKA, Bangladesh – Six months after a mass uprising overcame former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the home of her late father and the country’s independence hero Sheikh Mujibul Rahman on Wednesday night.
In addition to the residence of Rahman’s Dhanmondi 32, protesters burned the homes of the exiled leaders of Hasina’s party, the Awami League.
The mobs gathered after Hasina gave a fiery online speech on Wednesday evening from her Indian exile. There, she called on supporters to stand up to the interim government led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.
The house of Danmondi 32 was attacked during protests against Hasina in July-August, and peaked with her expulsion after 15 years of rule. The protest, led primarily by students and young people, began through the controversial government contraction system, killing at least 834 people and after a severe crackdown by authorities, which has killed at least 834 people and injured in clashes with police. It has turned into anxiety around the country.
Who is Sheikh Mujibour Rahman and what does the residence of Danmondi 32 mean?
Hasina’s late father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, widely known as “Bangabandhu” (a friend of Bengali) and “Mujib”, led the struggle for national liberation against Pakistan, which brought in independence in 1971. .
As the first president of New Nation and later prime minister, Rahman’s leadership shaped the country’s early days. On January 24, 1975, he introduced a controversial one-party state system. The system has complete media control over the state. Integrated states, governments, and party functions. He demanded military personnel, police, judges and civil servants to become party members.
On August 15, 1975, Mujib and all other members of his family were assassinated during a military coup at his residence on Dhanmondi 32 Road in Dhaka, except for Hasina and his sister Sheikh Rehana. .
At the time, Hasina and her sister, Lehana, were in Germany. They evacuated to India and remained there until Hasina returned to Bangladesh in May 1981. On her return, she announced her conversion of residence to the museum on June 10, 1981 as a monument to the nation’s freedom. The museum was established in August. By 1994, Bangladesh had a democratically elected government after a series of military or military-supported governments up to 1990.
Hasina’s Awami League eventually came to power and defeated the incumbent Bangladeshi Nationalist government, Begum Khaleda Zia.
This house was of great importance in the Bangladeshi independence movement, and many world leaders met Rahman in this house until his assassination.
What inspired the recent attack?
Protesters view the property of Rahman’s house and other Awami League members as symbols of what they describe as years of authoritarian rule, corruption and suppression of opposition.
Since Hasina was forced out of power last year, there has been a growing campaign on social media to destroy the Danmondi 32 home.
Student leaders, a group at the forefront of last year’s campaign against Hasina, denounced India as “Wasing” after BBC Bangla reported that the resigned prime minister would give a speech at a virtual event on Wednesday night. . War against the people of Bangladesh.”
On Wednesday at 6:30pm local time (12:30pm), student group leader Hasnat Abdullah wrote on Facebook: “Tonight, Bangladesh will be released from the shrine of fascism.”
In response, police increased security in the Danmondi 32 area.
What happened to the Hasina family home?
By Wednesday evening, protesters had gathered in front of a police barricade at Dhanmondi 32 intersection in Dhaka. A group of Army soldiers joined the police temporarily to stay safe, but then retreated after a brief argument with protesters.
In her live speech by Sheikhasina on the Awami League’s official Facebook page and on X, she accused the interim government of illegally seizing power and called for resistance.
Protesters have partnered with students in opposition to the discrimination movement, responding to anger, and protesters carried sticks, hammers and other tools, storming homes before setting them up. Others brought cranes and excavators to destroy the building.
As soon as the excavators began to demolish, thousands of protesters erupted in cheers. They also chanted slogans. Delhi or Dhaka? Dhaka, Dhaka! There is no Hindutuba location in Bengal in Abu Saeed. ”
Abu Sayed was an anti-Hasina protester who was killed in security crackdown last July. Hindutuva is the ideology of the majority of Hinduism in the Bharatiya Janata Party, ruled by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This house is a symbol of fascism, and the fascist Hasina is trying to destabilize our country from exile. Sayed Ahmed, one of the protesters, told Al Jazeera.
There was a mixed reaction from the onlookers.
“Undoubtedly, Hasina is guilty. People are suffering for her. But this house has historical importance. I don’t think this is the right move,” she said with her friend. Iqbal, a businessman who traveled by motorcycle from an older part of the city, told Al Jazeera.
However, his friend said he thought the move was “completely okay.”
Some took the building bricks as tokens, while others rushed in to collect books, furniture, iron, broken grills, wood and more.
Asked by a reporter on Thursday what measures the police had taken to prevent the attack on Rahman’s home, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Chief Sheikh MD Sazat Ali said: I was there late at night. ”
But so far, no one has been arrested.
What other buildings were targeted?
Similar incidents have occurred in at least 19 cities across the country since Wednesday night, according to a report by the Prothom Alo newspaper.
These include the offices of the Awami Federation in the eastern district of Kumira and the demolition of the central district of Tangail, residences of several major exiled leaders in the Kurna, Noakali and Kushtia districts, and in various public facilities in Shirhete. It includes the destruction of Rahman’s mural. and Langpool.
So far, no victims have been reported as a result of these incidents.
Awami League leader told Prothom Alo that two party members, one of whom is a woman, were also assaulted, but Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify these claims.
How did the government and politicians respond?
In a statement to the media, the interim government called vandalism in the House “unfortunate” but was attributed to “national anger” over Hasina’s speech from India about the July uprising .
It accused Hasina of humiliating the “martyrs” of the uprising and incited instability.
“Her words reopened the wounds of the July genocide, leading to resentment,” read a statement issued Thursday afternoon at Danmondi 32 by Kubo Leader Yunus’s office.
“The government is urging India to prevent its territory from using its territories to destabilize Bangladesh,” he said.
“Law enforcement is taking all the necessary measures to restore order,” he said, adding that “legal measures will also be considered for those engaged in agitating.”
He said the prosecution of the person responsible for the July killing is ongoing, and the government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring justice for the July killing.
Shafikul Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Party, opposed Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, but in a Facebook post he said he was in charge of the situation of her “instigation” through her speech. .
Meanwhile, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, senior leader of Bangladesh’s Nationalist Party, is perhaps the most powerful political party in the country at this time, saying at the event on Thursday: In the next few days. In particular, we need to investigate whether it is a neighboring country. [India] I’m involved in that. ”
What does this mean for the future of the Awami League?
Once Bangladesh’s most powerful political force, the Awami League is now facing widespread hostility.
Analysts said the destruction of Rahman’s settlements indicates a strong rejection of the party’s legacy by the population section, particularly by students and young people who led the mass protests last year.
Rezaul Karim Rony, analyst and editor at Joban Magazine, told Al Jazeera: [Awami League] On August 5th, there was government, but despite the partial vandalism, it was pretty much the same. Now, people responded by finishing what was left, so that Sheikh Hasina denied the uprising and showed no regrets about the genocide while instigating her supporters. ”
He added as follows: “Many of us are critical of this step. But they need to understand that Bangladeshi fascism began with Sheikh Mujibour Rahman and reached its peak under Hasina. July uprising As demonstrated in the Awami League tribe’s muscle-based politics will no longer win.”
Ronnie said he couldn’t see the future of the Awami League. “Even the change in leadership after their damaged legacy is not relevant to the Awami League.”
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