Recap on Bangladesh turn over in political violence

Political Violence in Bangladesh in February 2025 On February 6, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon supporters to stand against the interim government in a live virtual speech delivered from India, escalating political tensions.

Ahead of her address, thousands of people, including Anti-Discrimination Student Movement leaders, who were at the forefront of the 2024 anti-government demonstrations, demolished the historic Dhanmondi residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding leader and Hasina’s father.

The destruction later spread to other parts of the country, with rioters using bulldozers and excavators to demolish what they called “symbols of fascism.”

According to ACLED data, buildings associated with the Awami League (AL) were demolished in all eight divisions of the country. Dhaka and Khulna were the two divisions with the most incidents of destruction.

Despite the significant destruction of property, ACLED recorded only two instances of violence directly targeting AL supporters in Dhaka and Narsingdi.

In Gazipur, a clash between students and AL supporters resulted in the death of one student. Bangladesh continues to face challenges since the ouster of Hasina in August 2024, with frequent calls for justice and accountability for the violence that occurred during the anti-government demonstrations.

On February 12, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report finding the AL government complicit in “serious human rights violations” during the demonstrations while also noting “troubling instances” of retaliatory violence against AL members and religious and sectarian minorities