Protests Roil Dhaka as Sheikh Hasina’s Ancestral Home is Vandalized

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In an alarming escalation of political tensions in Bangladesh, a mob vandalized the ancestral home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's founding leader, on February 5, 2025, during a live online address by his daughter, deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Witnesses reported that thousands gathered outside the Dhanmondi residence, calling for a so-called "Bulldozer Procession," leading to violent confrontations.

Sheikh Hasina expressed deep emotional distress in a voice message to her supporters, asserting that the destruction of the house would not erase its historical significance. "If I am still alive, then there is definitely some big work left," Hasina stated. She lamented, “They can demolish a building, but not the history.” The house, which has been transformed into the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, symbolizes Rahman's pivotal role in leading Bangladesh's independence movement.

Tensions have risen since Hasina's government was ousted last year, with protest groups threatening to dismantle foundational aspects of the nation’s governance. As violence continues, calls for justice and resistance against the current regime have intensified among Hasina's supporters.

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