February 6, 2025
DHAKA – The Dhanmondi-32 residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sudha Sadan and houses and businesses of some senior Awami League’s leaders were vandalised across the country last night.
These followed social media announcements of processions to clear the country of “pilgrimage sites of fascism”. The attacks also came as deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina delivered a speech last night.
PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR
In Dhaka, around 11:30pm, protesters started demolishing the residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, located at Dhanmondi 32 in the capital, using a bulldozer.
Earlier, around 8:00pm, protesters stormed and vandalised the Dhanmondi-32 residence.
PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR
Meanwhile, unidentified individuals set fire to Sudha Sadan in Dhanmondi, the residence of Wajed Miah, the late husband of Sheikh Hasina, around 11:00pm.
Fire service duty officer Rakibul Hasan said they received reports of the fire around 11:30pm. “We have also received news of a fire at Dhanmondi 32. We are responding to the situation accordingly,” he said.
PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR
However, demolition work on Dhanmondi-32 was on going till filing of this report at 1:30am.
PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR
In Rangpur, Around 1:15am, a mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur was defaced by protesters.
Eye-witnesses said that around 10:00pm, a group of protesters gathered in front of the University’s administration building, wielding hammers and rods.
Around 11:50 pm, they brought a bulldozer from Rangpur City Corporation and demolished the mural.
The students also took down the nameplates of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman hall and Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Hall.
In Sylhet, demonstrators defaced the mural of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Sylhet District Administrator’s office around 9:50pm.
PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR
Protesters arrived in a procession with an excavator belonging to Sylhet City Corporation and broke through the main gate and tore down the mural.
Earlier, around 8:30 PM, leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination student movement held a protest rally, and sit-in program at Bandar Bazar area. This program was held in protest of program announced by fallen dictator Awami League and their banned affiliated organizations and in demand of justice for all the disappearances, murders, corruption and anti-state activities, and those involved in July massacre.
In Khulna, the home of Sheikh Hasina’s cousins Sheikh Helal Uddin and Sheikh Salauddin Jewel was demolished with a bulldozer by protesters.
PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR
At around 8:30pm, a large crowd, including students and locals, began demolishing the Sheikh Bari in Khulna’s Moylapota area.
Thousands of people gathered around the site, chanting slogans such as “Delhi or Dhaka, Dhaka Dhaka” and “Down with Mujibism.”
At 9:30pm, when a small bulldozer failed to break the gate, a larger one was brought in. Additionally, many individuals used sticks and hammers to break down the boundary walls. Around 9:00 PM, a fire was seen burning on the roof of the house for a brief period.
Notably, no law enforcement officers were present in the vicinity during the incident.
Md. Ahsan Habib Additional Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police told The Daily Star, “I have seen the news of the incident on Facebook, but I do not have further information. Let me investigate and see if I can provide any additional details.”
Sheikh Helal Uddin was the former MP of Bagerhat-1 and Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel was the former MP of Khulna-2.
In Kushtia, the home of former lawmaker of Kushtia-3 and Awami League’s joint general secretary Mahbub Alam Hanif and that of Sadar Khan, chairperson of Kushtia Awami League, came under attack.
Around 10:00pm, a group of protesters gathered around Hanif’s three-storey home on PTI road with a bulldozer.
The protesters attempted to break down the structure for about half an hour, but only managed to deface the gate and its supporting pillars.
Another group charged at Sadar Khan’s house around 11:00pm.
No law enforcement officers were present during these incidents.
Protesters in Chattagram yesterday held a torchlight procession to demonstrate against Sheikh Hasina’s speech, which was broadcast from Bangladesh Awami League’s social media handles yesterday night.
They later defaced Bangabandhu’s murals at Chittagong Medical College and in the city’s Jamal Khan area.
In Barishal city, protesters brought a bulldozer to Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah’s house to demolish it.
PHOTO: THE DAILY STAR
Serniabat is a former mayor of the city corporation and Sheikh Hasina’s relative. He owns a two-storey home in the city’s Kalibari Road.
The demolition process was underway up until the filing of this report at 1:15am.