Bangladeshis Express Fury Over Student Mob Attack on Awami League Leader's Home in Dhaka

Dhaka, March 7 (NationPress) A late-night attack led by a violent mob, predominantly composed of students, targeting the residence of an Awami League leader in a prestigious area of Dhaka earlier this week has sparked fierce outrage among many Bangladeshis. They are appalled at the police inaction and the alarming rise in politically-motivated assaults under the current interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus.

The residence belongs to Tanvir Imam, son of H T Imam, a former advisor to the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The mob, consisting of over 100 individuals, vandalized the apartment on Wednesday, claiming Awami League members were hiding within and that a significant cache of illegal weapons and cash was concealed nearby. Nevertheless, after conducting their search, they conceded that nothing was discovered.

Footage of the mob, led by youths chanting anti-Awami League slogans while wreaking havoc in the building, has gone viral across social media platforms. The videos depict the mob storming the house shortly after midnight and forcibly breaking down the door under the guise of conducting a search.

Although the Dhaka police later reported that a few individuals were apprehended in connection with the incident, many individuals alleged that the law enforcement agencies had prior knowledge of the so-called “search operation” and could have intervened to prevent it.

The operation was spearheaded by senior members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who claimed to have received “intelligence” that Awami League leaders had concealed a cache of weapons in their residence. However, hours later, they acknowledged that nothing was located, as reported by the Bangladeshi news outlet BdNews24.

Several local media channels also broadcast the break-in live on their social media pages, emphasizing the escalating chaos in Bangladesh under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus, who assumed power following the shocking ousting of Hasina in August 2024.

“In a scene reminiscent of a movie, they shattered the apartment door, invaded the house, and looted everything. One might wonder—how can such an event transpire in an elite area of the capital? In Bangladesh, anything is possible these days because the government itself legitimizes such actions,” commented Asifur Rahman Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi human rights advocate, on X.

“The mob's activities essentially commenced on August 5 with the removal of Sheikh Hasina from power, and it continues to play a disturbingly effective role in Bangladesh. Never before has Bangladesh experienced such a history of mob violence,” he further stated.

Notably, a similar search was executed at the same complex in the upscale Gulshan area on Monday, during which police authorities were present based on various allegations. Several informed sources told local media that police had indicated they would not directly partake in the search operation but would join later.

Bangladesh has been facing widespread violence and riots for several months, with protests occurring almost daily, reflecting the growing dissatisfaction among the public regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in the nation.