Protests Erupt in Bangladesh as Ousted PM’s Home Torched

Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh set fire to the Dhanmondi residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founding leader and father of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, amid escalating tensions, Al Jazeera reported. The attack followed Hasina’s planned online speech from exile in India, where she fled after a violent student-led uprising against her 15-year rule.

Protesters, some armed with tools, gathered to demolish the historic building, which Hasina had converted into a museum. They expressed anger over Hasina’s speech, viewing it as a challenge to the newly formed interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Many protesters labeled the house a “symbol of fascism,” calling for its destruction.

The unrest also targeted properties belonging to Hasina’s Awami League supporters. In her defiant response, Hasina asserted that while they could destroy buildings, they could not erase history. The protests reflect deep divisions in Bangladeshi society, with demands for justice over last year’s deadly clashes.