Political Violence In Bangladesh: Jatiya Party Headquarters Set On Fire For Supporting Sheikh Hasina

Dhaka: Another violent incident sparked unrest in Bangladesh after a group of attackers, on Thursday, set fire to the headquarters of the Jatiya Party in Dhaka, Bangladesh , a political organization that had supported ousted leader Sheikh Hasina . The attack took place in the Bijoy Nagar area, where reports indicated that assailants clashed with party members before igniting flames that engulfed the premises. The attackers vandalised the party's office before setting the building on fire. There were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties. 

The local media outlets reported that the confrontation between the attackers and the Jatiya Party workers escalated as the attackers stormed the building, leading to significant chaos. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, according to Rashed bin Khaled, an official with the Fire Service and Civil Defense. The extent of the damage caused by the fire remains unclear.

‘People Are Watching What They Are Doing’: Jatiya Party's Secretary General

The Jatiya Party, founded by former military dictator HM Ershad in the 1980s, is the third-largest political party in Bangladesh. Tensions have been high in the country since Hasina's government was ousted in August following widespread protests led by students. Hasnat Abdullah, a prominent leader of the student protest movement, publicly condemned the Jatiya Party, calling for its destruction due to its support for Hasina’s administration. In a Facebook post, Abdullah labelled the Jatiya Party as a "national betrayer" and urged students to mobilize for a march towards the party headquarters.

Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the Jatiya Party's secretary general, accused student protestors of inciting the violence, saying, "People are watching what they are doing with us. It is live on social media... they are doing it publicly, openly."

Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League party ruled the country for 15 years until her flight to India on August 5, when the protests escalated into an anti-government movement. The unrest has led to significant bloodshed, with hundreds of students, security officials, and others reported dead. Following Hasina's ouster, her supporters faced retaliatory attacks, contributing to an atmosphere of chaos in the nation.

In the wake of Hasina’s departure, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, assumed leadership of an interim government backed by the student movement and the military. However, Yunus's administration has struggled to maintain stability in a country grappling with political turmoil and violence.