DHAKA, Bangladesh — Hundreds of student protesters and political activists in Bangladesh, armed with bamboo sticks, iron bars and pipes, attacked supporters of the ousted leader on Thursday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and prevented them from reaching the former home of their father and slain independence leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in the capital.
The house in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area was converted into a museum to display narratives and other objects about a military coup on August 15, 1975, when Rahman was killed along with most of his relatives. The house, now called the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, was set on fire by protesters hours after Hasina’s fall on August 5 after an uprising during which more than three hundred people died.
Rahman is affectionately called Bangabandhu or friend of Bengal.
Thursday is the anniversary of Rahman’s death, and Hasina, now in self-exile in India, urged her followers to mark the day by paying tribute to Rahman. Previously, August 15 was a public holiday and the Hasina administration observed it as a day of national mourning. But that has been canceled by an interim government led by the Nobel laureate. Muhammad Yunus after the overthrow of Hasina, who survived in 1975 along with her younger sister because they were visiting Germany in 1975.
On Thursday, protesters attacked Hasina’s supporters who were trying to reach the scene. They manhandled many and searched visitors’ phones and ID cards while threatening journalists for filming the incidents at the site, witnesses said.
Another group of protesters on Thursday chanted “Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar” or “Allah is great, the cry of Allah is great” as they marched through the streets of the area where the museum site remained blocked with barbed wire fences.
The protesters, who first arrived at Rhaman’s house on Wednesday, attacked a prominent actress, as she, along with dozens of Hasina’s supporters, arrived there to light candles as part of the commemoration.
During the night, they held a party using loudspeakers and playing songs while dancing outside the museum, which was burned down during anti-government protests earlier this month. Videos of the party went viral on social media.
The protesters said they wanted to stop the gathering of Hasina’s supporters as they might try to create chaos in the name of commemoration.
Sarjis Alam, a key organizer of the student protests, said on Thursday they would continue to demand Hasina’s trial as he led a demonstration in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area.
When asked about harassment of journalists by students and other activists outside the museum, he said he would look into it, but gave no details.
In the past, large gatherings were held on the museum grounds, considered by many to be a source of inspiration.
Hasina had asked her followers earlier this week to “pray for the salvation of all souls by offering flower garlands and praying” outside the museum. in his first public statement since his fall.
No police in sight, chaos remained in the capital of Bangladesh throughout Thursday.
Sam Jahan, a Reuters video journalist, protested against the harassment of protesters in a Facebook post.
“It is quite fair what you political activists and student protesters want to achieve politically. But when you try to stop my camera from moving, resist press freedom and when you mistreat my colleagues, I will speak up,” Jahan wrote in the post.
The country’s main English-language newspaper, Daily Star, reported that its journalists faced problems at the scene and were forced to delete photos and videos.
Mujib Mashal, South Asia bureau chief for The New York Times, in a video post on social media platform
“Yesterday’s victims are today’s perpetrators; Men armed with clubs and pipes (many identified themselves as BNP and Jamaat) beating and chasing away anyone they suspected of belonging to the Awami League,” he said.
Protesters have been demanding that Hasina be tried for the killings during weeks of violence and cases have already been filed against her and other close party colleagues and senior police officials.
More than 300 people died in unrest that began in July with protests against a quota system for government jobs that later morphed into a movement against what was seen as Hasina’s increasingly autocratic administration. The uprising eventually forced Hasina to leave office and flee to India, ending her 15-year rule.
Yunus took over as interim leader. Sixteen people, including two student protest leaders and others, mainly from civil society, have been included in the interim cabinet.
He chose the new cabinet members after talks between student leaders, civil society representatives and the military.
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