Bangladesh’s Interim government chief Muhammad Yunus urged citizens to ‘immediately restore complete law and order and to ensure there will be no further attacks on properties’ belonging to former PM Sheikh Hasina’s family or any members of her Awami League party.
The anger of the activists who have attacked properties is understandable because they and their relatives and friends lived through years of tyranny under Hasina, said a statement released by the chief adviser’s press wing as quoted by The Daily Star.
“Despite this understanding, the Government appeals to the citizens to abide by the law to show the world we are a nation that respects the rule of law. Respecting the rule of law is what differentiates the new Bangladesh we are working together to build from the old Bangladesh under the fascist regime. Let us not undermine Bangladeshis’ sense of security and stability; any disregard for the law endangers the lives and property of citizens,” reads the statement.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence set on fire
This comes a day after a mob vandalised and set ablaze the residence of Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The vandalisation took place after Hasina appealed to Awami League workers in a virtual address to protest against the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
On Wednesday, protesters arrived at the Dhanmondi 32 area with bulldozers and threatened to raze the house.
However, they decided against demolishing the house and instead broke the main gate, as well as vandalised it before setting fire to the property, The Dhaka Tribune reported.
The attackers said the house was a symbol of “authoritarianism and fascism” and vowed to remove traces of what they called ‘Mujibism’ in the country.
While carrying out the attack, the mob chanted slogans and demanded the execution of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5 last year after massive anti-government protests.
Ahead of the planned protest by the Awami League, several supporters and workers of the party were arrested.
Far away from Dhaka, houses of Awami League leaders were attacked and torched, and murals and busts of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were destroyed or defaced across the country on Thursday.
