Mujib's Dhanmondi 32 house burnt, demolished
The demolition began around 11:40pm and continued as of filing this report at 1:00am today
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Dhanmondi 32 residence in the capital was ravaged by a raging crowd yesterday (5 February), marking the six-month anniversary of the July-August uprising that toppled the authoritarian regime of his daughter Sheikh Hasina in August last year.
A group of agitated people, including students, first vandalised and set fire to the house around 8:30pm. The destruction and arson continued for hours, and around 11:10pm, the agitators brought an excavator to the spot.
The demolition began around 11:40pm and continued as of filing this report at 1:00am today.
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Sudha Sadan, the residence of Hasina's late husband Dr MA Wazed Miah, was also set on fire by another group. This building is located on Road 5 in Dhanmondi.
The demonstration in the capital fuelled similar actions in other districts as well. The Sheikh Bari, a two-storey building on Sher-e-Bangla Road in Khulna City, which is the home of five cousins of Hasina, was demolished.
Moreover, houses of Awami League leaders and structures linked to the Sheikh family were reportedly demolished in districts including Rajshahi, Kushtia and Sylhet.
According to the agitators in Dhanmondi, the house, long associated with Mujib and his family, symbolises "authoritarianism and fascism."
The Mujib residence had become the centre of the non-cooperation movement leading up to the Liberation War in 1971.
On 15 August 1975, Mujib and most of his family were assassinated at this house, shortly after he introduced Baksal, which was actually one-party rule – a controversial political programme aimed at centralising power.
During the tenure of Hasina, the house was later converted into a museum, preserving Mujib family's legacy and artefacts.
'Bulldozer Procession and Hasina's address'
The demolition followed a social media call for a "Bulldozer Procession Towards Dhanmondi 32", triggered by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's scheduled 9pm virtual address to her party's banned student wing, Chhatra League.
Facebook posts regarding the Bulldozer procession circulated widely across Facebook groups, with many student leaders from the July uprising boldly endorsing the campaign, which drew mixed reactions from netizens.
Hasnat Abdullah, a key student leader of the July movement, wrote on his verified Facebook account: "Tonight, Bangladesh will be liberated from the place of pilgrimage for fascism".
Criticising Hasina for her speech, Ali Ahsan Zonaed, a joint convener of the National Citizens' Committee, wrote in a post, "Today marks the completion of six months of the July Uprising. On this historic day, the butcher of Bengal, Hasina, decided to come out in public. What a day she has chosen! Now is the time for us to wake up again. Let's eliminate all fascist elements on this historic day."
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement wrote on its verified Facebook account: "If any statement by the murderer, butcher, and fascist Hasina is broadcast by any media house, it will have to face the consequences."
Fire and slogans
Although demonstrators had initially threatened to bulldoze the house at 9pm, they arrived earlier, by 8pm, ahead of Hasina's virtual address, which was broadcast online.
They expressed their intentions to erase any trace of the so-called "Mujibism" in the country. Some also chanted slogans demanding the execution of Sheikh Hasina for mass killing during the July uprising.
Although law enforcers initially beefed up security around the house amid calls for the "Bulldozer Procession", they have not taken any action or tried to stop the agitators. The presence of army personnel was also seen in the area.
A police official wishing anonymity told TBS, "We tried to bar them [agitators] but they were in a huge number, we could not stop them. Some even started attacking the policemen."
The road in front of the building was cramped and a sea of people from all walks of life, mostly aged between 20-30 occupied the road and the building. Some even entered the residence and museum. Some climbed onto the balcony of the building brandishing sticks and defying the barbed fence.
Some vandalised the mural of Sheikh Mujibar Rahman in front of the building. Some student representatives were seen asking the agitated crowd not to set fire to the establishment.
However, at one point, the building was set on fire. As the building was burning, slogans, including "Azadi, Azadi", "Nara-e-Takbeer", and "Dhaka, Not Delhi", were being chanted. Some have painted the walls with graffiti. One has painted "32 Will be No More".
Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi can be heard chanting "32 set on fire, 32 vandalised. Sheikh Hasina no more".
One of the gates of the Bangabandhu residence was vandalised with hammers. Some can be seen pulling out iron structures.
Some were seen hitting the walls with hammers and sticks while chanting anti-Awami League and anti-Sheikh Hasina slogans.
"Return to the country if you dare," one of them could be heard shouting, referring to Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5 and has been living there since.
