Zia Chowdhury and Jesmin Papri/Ðaka
Angry protesters in Dhaka razed a museum memorializing Bangladesh’s founding leader, a building they called the country’s “symbol of fascism” – a reference to his daughter, ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The protest was called by many of the students and others who had participated in the July-August mass uprising that deposed Hasina, because she decided to go ahead with an online speech from exile on Wednesday that coincided with the six-month anniversary of her fleeing to India.
Students Against Discrimination, the group which led the July-August protests that became a nationwide movement, called for staging a “Bulldozer Procession” to the 32 Dhanmondi address in Dhaka, where the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum was located.
“Tonight, Bangladesh will be free of the shrine of fascism,” Hasnat Abdullah, convenor of the student group, wrote on Facebook. He was referring to the museum for Hasina’s father who was assassinated at that location in a military coup in 1975.
Mujib, as he was popularly called, was once venerated in Bangladesh for leading the country to break free from Pakistan in 1971, but has fallen out of favor since Hasina made it a crime to speak against him.
No injuries were reported and while some police were present, they were largely ineffective. One police official, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said that officers tried to stop the angry crowd from entering the museum gates.
But when the mob rushed towards them, the police moved away and kept their distance, he said.
This was the second attack on the museum. The last time was during the July-August movement.
Wednesday’s incident began with vandalism and was followed by protesters setting parts of the building on fire. Hasina’s residence on the same street was also set ablaze later.
In a few hours, some protestors arrived with two excavators and a crane to aid in demolishing the Mujib memorial, and soon made short work of it.
“No. 32 will not exist anymore,” protesters, who numbered in the thousands, chanted.
“No more no. 32. Now it is only (July) 36,” they said.
They have dated the day Hasina fled the country July 36, marking it from the day they started their protest, instead of Aug. 5.
Hasina who must have been monitoring scenes of the destruction back home, while delivering her online speech railed against Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladesh interim government leader, blaming him for her ouster.
“They can destroy a building, but they can’t destroy history,” she said.
“They must remember that history takes its own revenge. … Please don’t let Bangladesh be destroyed in this manner.”
Hasina said she had worked tirelessly for her fellow Bangladeshis.
“I want justice from you, I want your support. I want Bangladesh to end this destruction,” she pleaded.
Student leader Hasnat blamed neighboring India for allowing Hasina to speak. Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have been frosty since Hasina fell from power after 15 years of consecutive rule.
“Allowing Hasina to deliver a speech is an act of war by India against the anti-fascist people of Bangladesh,” Hasnat said.
As it is, Yunus had said in September that Hasina must “keep quiet” while in India.
New Delhi had also been told, Yunus said, to ensure that she stayed silent until she was brought to Dhaka to stand trial for her role in the more than 1,400 lives lost in the July-August protests.
Md. Tariqul Islam, a student at New Model Degree College, stood in front of the museum with a rod in his hand amid a sea of people who were climbing on top of the building in scenes reminiscent of the ones from the hours after Hasina decamped.
“We have come to vandalize this house to express how much we detest Sheikh Hasina and to protest her giving online speeches,” Tariqul told BenarNews.
Another protester, Khan Bahadur Imran, said he was carrying back a brick as a memento from the museum site.
“I will put this in my living room,” he told BenarNews.
“So that the next generation can know about this fascist regime.”
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