Clashes broke out in Dhanmondi yesterday as demonstrators attempted to demolish the remaining parts of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic residence following the International Crimes Tribunal verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Law enforcement agencies, including the police, army, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), were deployed to secure the site at Dhanmondi-32.
Officers used truncheons, sound grenades, and teargas shells to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to over 20 people, including both demonstrators and law enforcers.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Masud Alam, “Several sound grenades were used to disperse the demonstrators.”
Eyewitnesses reported that over 100 protesters, mostly from the Dhaka College area, began gathering near the site around 11:30 am with two diggers to dismantle the house’s remains.
As tensions escalated around 1:00 pm, the protesters attempted to breach police barricades, prompting a joint charge by police and army personnel.
After regrouping at the Panthapath intersection, the demonstrators threw bricks at law enforcers, injuring two officers. Police responded with truncheons and sound grenades.
The protests continued into the afternoon, with demonstrators setting fire to debris and blocking streets, causing panic among locals and disrupting vehicular movement. Mirpur Road and surrounding areas were closed for several hours, and most shops shuttered.
The clashes intensified again in the evening, with protesters hurling bricks at vehicles, including a police pickup and a microbus. A series of chase-and-counter-chase incidents between law enforcers and demonstrators brought traffic to a halt around Russell Square and Metro Shopping Mall.
By 10:30 pm, the situation gradually returned to normal, though authorities maintained a heavy presence near Dhanmondi-32. Roads were closed again around 11:00 pm, and additional RAB and BGB personnel were deployed to ensure security.
This incident follows a similar protest in February, when a group of agitators damaged parts of the house using diggers. Authorities have consistently maintained a security perimeter around the historic residence to prevent further destruction.
