Photo: Collected
The residence of Sheikh Hasina, Sudha Sadan, located on Road 5 in Dhanmondi, was set on fire by protesters late last night. The incident occurred at 11:00 pm on January 5 (Wednesday night), following the ongoing political unrest. Since the ousting of the Hasina government during the student uprising on August 5, Sudha Sadan had been completely vacated.
Fire Service officials reported that the fire at the residence was discovered around 11:30 pm, and their teams were dispatched to control the blaze. By midnight, flames were visible on the second, third, and fourth floors of the building.
Meanwhile, demolition work by protesters was also underway at House No. 32 in Dhanmondi, with bulldozers starting to demolish the property at 11:30 pm. Earlier in the evening, around 9:00 pm, a fire had been set on the third floor of the building.
At 10:30 pm, a crane was brought to the site, followed by another bulldozer. As the crowd gathered, some climbed onto the crane, cheering, and chanting slogans such as "Demolish Sheikh Mujib's house, destroy it!" Many protesters also called for Sheikh Hasina's execution.
The incident occurred on the six-month anniversary of Sheikh Hasina's departure from the country, following her ousting in a mass movement. By 8:00 pm, large numbers of people had gathered in front of House No. 32. As the crowd swelled, they broke down the gates and began rioting inside. Armed with sticks and spades, many joined the destruction.
Students and online activists involved in the uprising had announced that the attack on the house would coincide with Sheikh Hasina's scheduled speech. But the ransacking began earlier, at around 8:00 pm, when the protesters breached the building.
Earlier in the evening, Hassanat Abdullah, an organiser of the anti-discrimination student movement, posted on Facebook, saying, "Tonight, the birthplace of fascism in Bangladesh will be liberated."Following the student uprising in July, which led to the fall of the Awami League government, House No. 32 was attacked and set on fire by angry protesters on August 5.
Messenger/JRTarek
