Attackers Set Fire to Bangladesh Party Headquarters Supporting Ousted Hasina

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In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the headquarters of the Jatiya Party, which supported the ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, was set ablaze by attackers on the night of October 31. There have been no reports of injuries from the incident.

Attack Details

The attackers stormed the party offices located in the Bijoy Nagar area of Dhaka, clashing with party members present at the site before ultimately igniting a fire. The extent of the damage is currently unknown, but firefighters quickly arrived at the scene to address the blaze, according to Rashed bin Khaled from the Fire Service and Civil Defense.

Political Context

The Jatiya Party is the third largest political party in Bangladesh, founded in the 1980s by former military dictator HM Ershad. Amid the attack, Hasnat Abdullah, a prominent leader of a student protest movement that contributed to Hasina’s ouster in August, called for the destruction of the Jatiya Party for its support of Hasina’s government. Abdullah labeled the party a “national betrayer” in a Facebook post and encouraged students to gather at Dhaka University to march toward the party headquarters.

Response and Aftermath

Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the Jatiya Party’s secretary general, accused the students of inciting the attack, stating, “People are watching what they are doing with us,” and highlighting that the events were being broadcast on social media.

Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party had governed Bangladesh for 15 years since 2009. Critics argue that the Jatiya Party served to provide a façade of democracy during elections, as other major political parties opted not to participate.

Following widespread protests that escalated into an anti-government movement, Hasina fled to India on August 5. The ensuing turmoil resulted in the deaths of hundreds, including students and security personnel, and led to further violence against her supporters. Hasina now faces arrest warrants related to the killings that occurred during this period.

In August, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate from Bangladesh, assumed leadership of an interim government supported by the student group and the military. However, his administration has faced significant challenges in restoring order amidst the ongoing political unrest.