With increasing tensions in Dhaka and arrests of over 1,300, the country seeks to navigate the murky waters of political upheaval.
Fresh Unrest Erupts in Bangladesh Following Ex-PM’s Address from Exile
Fresh Unrest Erupts in Bangladesh Following Ex-PM’s Address from Exile
Violent clashes reignite as students protest the former leader's virtual speech amid a strained political landscape.
Bangladesh is witnessing a resurgence of violence following the audio address delivered by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India, where she has been in exile since her ousting on August 5 of the previous year. The unrest, primarily involving student-led movements, underscores the precarious political climate as the nation grapples with its recent tumultuous changes.
The clashes erupted on Wednesday, ignited by the Awami League's announcement of Ms. Hasina's virtual speech. Protesters feared it would incite further violence, leading thousands of students to demolish and ignite a fire at a historical building significant to Hasina's legacy – the residence of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a founding figure of Bangladesh.
For three consecutive days, the violence escalated as student activists and Awami League supporters clashed, prompting interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, to launch “Operation Devil Hunt.” This crackdown involved invoking police and paramilitary forces to suppress the unrest. In response to the destruction and rising tensions, Awami League supporters voiced plans for counter-demonstrations against the students' actions.
During her audio address, Hasina evoked her father's sacrifices and the progress made during her governance, which further stoked the flames of dissent among her opponents. Following her speech, confrontations between the two groups intensified in Dhaka, leading Yunus to enforce the police operation on February 8 after numerous reports of violence and injuries.
In an official statement, Yunus encouraged citizens to adhere to the law, stating, “The new Bangladesh we are working together to build, moving away from the old Bangladesh under fascist rule, will be distinguished by following the rule of law.”
Despite recent measures to stabilize the situation, over 1,300 arrests, most of whom are members of the Awami League, have occurred since the outbreak of violence. For now, calm has returned, but the Awami League's efforts to mount a resurgence, alongside calls for strikes and protests from its members labeling student groups as militants, indicate lingering tensions in the political atmosphere.
The clashes erupted on Wednesday, ignited by the Awami League's announcement of Ms. Hasina's virtual speech. Protesters feared it would incite further violence, leading thousands of students to demolish and ignite a fire at a historical building significant to Hasina's legacy – the residence of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a founding figure of Bangladesh.
For three consecutive days, the violence escalated as student activists and Awami League supporters clashed, prompting interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, to launch “Operation Devil Hunt.” This crackdown involved invoking police and paramilitary forces to suppress the unrest. In response to the destruction and rising tensions, Awami League supporters voiced plans for counter-demonstrations against the students' actions.
During her audio address, Hasina evoked her father's sacrifices and the progress made during her governance, which further stoked the flames of dissent among her opponents. Following her speech, confrontations between the two groups intensified in Dhaka, leading Yunus to enforce the police operation on February 8 after numerous reports of violence and injuries.
In an official statement, Yunus encouraged citizens to adhere to the law, stating, “The new Bangladesh we are working together to build, moving away from the old Bangladesh under fascist rule, will be distinguished by following the rule of law.”
Despite recent measures to stabilize the situation, over 1,300 arrests, most of whom are members of the Awami League, have occurred since the outbreak of violence. For now, calm has returned, but the Awami League's efforts to mount a resurgence, alongside calls for strikes and protests from its members labeling student groups as militants, indicate lingering tensions in the political atmosphere.
