Bangladeshi students patrol site of planned pro-Hasina gathering

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Aug 2024 08:44

An Awami League event intended to rally support for the Sheikh family's legacy is at risk of escalating into another deadly confrontation in Bangladesh.

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Protesters block streets outside Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's residence near Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, during his death anniversary in Dhaka on August 15, 2024, to block Awami League demonstrators. (AFP)

Hundreds of Bangladeshi students wielding bamboo sticks are patrolling the site of a planned demonstration of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's supporters on Thursday.

The ex-premier's supporters plan to demonstrate on the anniversary of the 1975 assassination of Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur, who is considered to be a Bangladeshi independence hero.

Protesters, who forced Hasina to flee to neighboring India, are working on blocking a regroup of her Awami League party supporters. The event is set to take place near Hasnina's old family home, where her father and other relatives were shot and killed 49 years ago.

"Awami League will try to create chaos on Thursday in the name of observing (the) mourning day," prominent student leader Sarjis Alam told reporters the previous day, according to the Daily Star newspaper.

Alam said that anti-government protesters will "remain on the streets to resist any such attempts."

The Sheikh house was turned into a museum commemorating Mujibur's career, however, it was recently torched and vandalized. Moreover, no police officers are present near and around the site, which has its main entrance blocked by protesters.

The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has canceled the observance of the holiday commemorating Mujibur's assassination. Previously, government workers and officials were permitted to participate in the memorials and events of the holiday. However, with this new decision, they are now required to remain at their posts.

Earlier, Hasina wrote that had she remained in the country, "more lives would have been lost, more resources would have been destroyed," adding that she "made the extremely difficult decision to exit."

Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on August 6 and a government led by Muhammad Yunus was announced on August 9.

The protests and the violent crackdowns on demonstrators killed at least 356 people since July.

Yunus was sworn in to lead Bangladesh's interim government in a ceremony that began with a minute of silence as a tribute to those who were killed during the violent protests.