New Delhi: The political landscape in Bangladesh has reached a boiling point as protesters attacked and set fire to the historic residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding father, at 32 Dhanmondi. The violent demonstration was led by the group Students Against Discrimination, which has been at the forefront of protests against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The protest, dubbed the ‘Bulldozer March’, saw participants demolishing a mural of Mujib while chanting demands for Hasina’s execution. The unrest was further fuelled by Hasina’s fiery speech on Facebook, in which she denounced Nobel laureate and interim leader Mohammad Yunus, accusing him of seizing power through unconstitutional means.
Protesters also targeted other Awami League-linked landmarks, including Sudha Sadan, the residence of Hasina’s late husband. The attack signals a major shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape, where Mujib’s once-revered legacy is now being challenged. Reports suggest that the interim government is actively revising textbooks to downplay Mujib’s role in the 1971 liberation war, while elevating Zia-ur-Rahman, a former military ruler and founder of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Government officials have downplayed the violence, calling it “unintended”, while simultaneously blaming Hasina’s speech for inciting unrest. Yunus has promised elections, but is yet to provide a clear timeline, leaving Bangladesh in a state of uncertainty as competing narratives of history shape its turbulent present.
With the demolition of 32 Dhanmondi, an iconic site of the country’s liberation struggle, and calls for assassination of former PM Hasina, Bangladesh faces new political unrest. In Episode 1603 of #CutTheClutter, ThePrint Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta looks at Hasina’s fiery speech targeting Yunus govt, Mujibur Rahman’s life, Bhasha Andolan & the revision of history books in Bangladesh.
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