Key Takeaways:

• Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh have demolished the historic family home of exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
• The protest was triggered by a planned speech from Hasina, who has been living in exile since last year amid increasing dissent against her rule.
• The house, a significant symbol of Bangladesh's independence and Hasina's family legacy, had served as a museum dedicated to her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh have taken their anger out on the former family home of exiled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a site that symbolizes both the country's independence and her controversial legacy. This demolition occurred on Wednesday night as Hasina, who fled to India after a deadly uprising last year, was set to deliver a speech addressing her supporters.

The site in Dhaka, home to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh, witnessed chaos as demonstrators, armed with tools like hammers and sticks, began dismantling the building. Many later brought a crane and excavator to effectively demolish the edifice, asserting that “they can demolish a building, but they can’t erase history,” Hasina remarked during the address, condemning the violence even as it unfolded.

The growing unrest was spurred by what protesters viewed as Hasina's defiance in challenging the interim government formed in the aftermath of her ousting. Critics accuse Hasina of authoritarianism and human rights abuses during her 15 years in power, which intensified following student-led protests in August 2024, leading to mass casualties and unrest. According to AP News, the interim administration, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has struggled to control the escalating violence.

Witnesses reported gatherings of several thousand protesters chanting anti-Hasina slogans, demanding accountability for the violence that marked her rule, including calls for her execution over deaths during the uprising. Additionally, various buildings linked to her Awami League party members were targeted, demonstrating the depth of discontent with the former government's legacy. The rally was part of a broader campaign noted as "Bulldozer Procession," aimed at rising against symbols of what they deem oppressive governance.

Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was instrumental in the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971 and was assassinated in their family home in 1975. Hasina transformed the site into a museum celebrating her father's legacy. However, the recent actions by protesters, described by student leader Hasnat Abdullah as an effort to free Bangladesh from "the pilgrimage site of fascism," indicate a significant retraction from previously celebrated narratives.

The ongoing cultural and political clash in Bangladesh reflects a nation struggling with its leadership identity and historical interpretation, where even symbols of independence have now become battlegrounds for opposing ideologies.

For further reading, see more details on The Guardian or Reuters.