Dhaka’s Shahbagh Square has once again become the epicenter of political volatility, as grief, anger, and ideology collide in a highly charged atmosphere. While people have gathered for Friday prayers on one side, the other is engulfed in violent protests over the death of Inquilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Fiery slogans from activists linked to Jamaat-e-Islami and the Inquilab Mancha is reverberating in the air. Slogans like: “Hadi Bhai's blood will not go in vain," "Who are you, who are you, Hadi Hadi," "Who am I, who am I, Hadi-Hadi," "Catch the League, send them to jail!" are being raised in the city.
Anti-India rhetoric amid unrest, is Pakistan behind this?
Widespread violence is erupting across Bangladesh. The offices of two newspapers have been set on fire. Indian diplomatic establishments are under attack. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence in Dhanmondi has once again been subjected to arson and vandalism. Several cultural centers have been destroyed. In a particularly gruesome incident, rioters publicly lynched and burned a Hindu man on Friday. Amid the escalating violence in Bangladesh, there are suspicions of Pakistan’s involvement in supporting extremist factions to destabilise the country, as extremist groups like the NCP, Inquilab Mancha, and Jamaat-e-Islami have intensified their anti-India rhetoric, targeting India’s interests.
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Bangladesh unrest evokes memories of Rwandan Genocide
This anarchy and unrest in Bangladesh is reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide, which arose from long-standing Hutu–Tutsi ethnic tensions dating back to the colonial era. Belgian rule deepened these divisions by granting political and social privileges to the Tutsi minority. In 1990, an invasion by Tutsi rebels ignited a civil war. On April 6, 1994, President Juvénal Habyarimana was assassinated, triggering a catastrophic wave of violence. The ensuing genocide and civil war led to the deaths of approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in just 100 days.
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No democratically elected leader
Bangladesh currently lacks democratically elected leaders. Sheikh Hasina is in exile, Khaleda Zia is on a ventilator, and Muhammad Yunus, who has been running the government for over a year, holds only nominal power and has no control over the extremists. On the contrary, he appears to be repeatedly capitulating to them. To fill the void created by the absence of prominent figures in Bangladeshi politics, minor and extremist Islamic leaders are emerging. For example:
Nahid Islam: A key coordinator of the student movement and a minister in the interim government. He is the convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), a new political party formed by students and working on a supposedly reformist agenda.
Hasanat Abdullah: An activist and the chief organiser of the National Citizen Party in the southern region. He is known for his controversial anti-India statements.
Sharif Osman Hadi: A frontline leader of the July uprising and spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha. Hadi, who harboured strong anti-India sentiments, was also an independent candidate from Dhaka-8, but succumbed to gunshot injuries on Thursday, December 18.
Mahfuj Alam: A key coordinator of the student movement, serving in an advisory role in the interim government and associated with the NCP.
Asif Mahmood: A prominent student leader of the anti-quota movement, included in the interim government and part of the NCP.
Notably, none of these leaders were elected by the people.
400 Awami League leaders and activists murdered
Since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from power, a wave of targeted violence against her party, the Awami League, and its leaders and activists has swept the country. The Awami League claims that approximately 400 of its leaders and activists have been murdered since July 2024. Hasina served as the country’s Prime Minister for a long period, but following her removal from office, a cycle of violence and revenge targeting her and her party has begun. Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia on charges of alleged crimes against humanity. Her party, the Awami League, has been banned, and many of its leaders are under investigation. The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that she is unable to return to Dhaka.
NCP, Inquilab Manch & Jamaat are riding the wave of extremism
Former Prime Minister Hasina is not only facing vengeful actions from her political rival, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), but also from parties like NCP and Inquilab Mancha, which emerged during the student movement. In addition, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh has spread a wave of extremism in Bangladesh. Their targets are India and forces that support liberalism.
BNP in crisis without Khaleda Zia
In December, Khaleda’s condition deteriorated to the point where she had to be kept on a ventilator. Suffering from heart, lung, and other organ complications, 80-year-old Khaleda remains in critical condition, raising questions about the BNP's political strength.
Bangladesh elections
The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is responsible for filling the void created by the departure of these two veteran leaders. Yunus has set a date for elections on February 12, 2026, but ahead of the polls, Bangladesh has plunged into political chaos. Yunus, bowing to pressure from fundamentalist groups, has lifted the ban on Islamic parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami. While some view this move as a step toward democracy, others see it as emboldening extremism. The most worrying issue in Bangladesh remains the ongoing attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus.
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