Tensions are running high in Bangladesh following the abrupt departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Pro-military groups, wielding bamboo rods and plastic pipes, have violently clashed with suspected supporters of the ousted leader, preventing them from gathering outside her childhood home. This incident occurred on the anniversary of the assassination of Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a national holiday that was canceled by the caretaker administration.
The anniversary, which typically sees large rallies across Bangladesh, was a focal point for both sides. Pro-military groups, eager to ensure that Hasina’s supporters didn’t regroup, formed a human barricade on the street leading to Hasina’s old family home. This landmark, previously a museum dedicated to her father, was torched and vandalized following Hasina’s fall.
In her first public statement since leaving office, Hasina urged her supporters to remember her father by praying and offering floral garlands outside the vandalized landmark. During her tenure, thousands of civil servants were required to participate in public demonstrations commemorating her father’s death, while the Awami League party set up public address systems to broadcast Mujib’s speeches and devotional songs praising his leadership.
Meanwhile, the caretaker administration, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, canceled the observance of the national holiday, citing its politically charged nature.
Adding to the already tense situation, a court in Dhaka opened a murder case against Hasina, two of her allies, and four police officers in relation to last month’s unrest. Several other prominent Awami League politicians, including former law minister Anisul Huq and business adviser Salman Rahman, have been detained in separate investigations.
Hasina, in her statement, demanded an investigation into the violence that led to her removal, calling for the identification and punishment of those responsible. According to police and hospital figures, over 450 people were killed during the protests, with the majority of deaths attributed to police weaponry.
Yunus, who returned from Europe to lead the caretaker administration, has taken on the monumental task of steering democratic reforms in Bangladesh. He has initiated discussions with UN human rights chief Volker Turk to launch an investigation into alleged human rights abuses under Hasina’s rule, which included mass detention and extrajudicial killings of political opponents. Yunus has stated his intention to hold elections within a few months.
The events in Bangladesh highlight the fragility of democracy and the potential for violence when political power shifts. The caretaker administration faces the challenge of restoring order, ensuring justice for those affected by the recent unrest, and facilitating a peaceful transition to a new government.
