Bangladesh Protesters Burn Sheikh Mujib’s Home

AFP

Dhaka: Protesters in Bangladesh on Wednesday brought excavators to the former residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, attempting to demolish the building.

Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh and a revered figure for his role in the country’s independence, has become a symbol of contempt for many due to his daughter’s legacy.

The protesters, some armed with hammers, tore down the walls of the house, which had been transformed into a museum. Crowds cheered as fires engulfed the structure.

The house had already sustained significant damage during last year’s student-led revolution, which resulted in the end of Hasina’s 15-year autocratic rule.

Wednesday’s protests coincided with the six-month anniversary of Hasina’s escape to India by helicopter on August 5, following an uprising that claimed hundreds of lives.

Students once again stormed the compound in Dhaka, demanding a ban on Hasina’s Awami League and voicing opposition to her exile. The protests were sparked by reports that Hasina, 77, who is defying an arrest warrant for alleged massacres, would broadcast a message from exile on Facebook.

Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, called for the demolition, stating on social media that the “Holy Land of Fascism” must be freed.

Several student protesters, including 18-year-old Mahmudur Rahman, said they saw it as justified to destroy the “symbol of fascism.” Mohammad Arefin, 25, argued that since students had effectively overthrown the government, they had the right to demolish the museum.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is celebrated as a hero of Bangladesh’s independence following the 1971 war that led to the country’s separation from Pakistan, but his death in 1975 and his daughter’s controversial rule have sparked divisive opinions.

Despite the destruction of the museum, Talebur Rahman, spokesperson for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, stated he was unaware of any government directive to demolish the house. He also confirmed no instructions had been issued regarding the museum’s custodianship.

Protester Torikul Islam, 24, noted that security forces had not intervened in the crowd’s actions. “The army is patrolling and talking to us,” he said, adding that no objections had been raised by the police.