Demolition of Dhanmondi 32

Dhanmondi 32 was the personal residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding President of Bangladesh. It was also the site where he was assassinated along with most of his family members on the coup of 15 August 1975. In 1994, the residence was converted into Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, preserving artifacts and memories. In August 2024, following political upheaval and the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the museum was subjected to vandalism and arson attacks during widespread violence. The interior suffered significant damage, and many artifacts were lost. Despite these events, the structure remained standing until the subsequent demolition in February 2025. In February 2025, exiled online right-wing activist Pinaki Bhattacharya encouraged his followers to demolish the building. Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Students Against Discrimination, warned against Hasina's speech. == Demolition ==

On the evening of 5 February 2025, a large rally organised by 'Inqilab Moncho' gathered at Dhanmondi 32, responding to calls on social media for a "Bulldozer Procession" aimed at demolishing the site, which they referred to as a "shrine of fascism". The rally escalated quickly, with participants breaking through the entrance and vandalizing the interior, including the destruction of a mural of Sheikh Mujib. As the situation intensified, a fire broke out on the second floor of the building. Mobs, undeterred by the flames, continued their actions, using tools to demolish parts of the house. Heavy machinery, including an excavator and a crane, was brought in to aid in the demolition. Despite the presence of security forces, there was little to no intervention during the demolition as the crowd overwhelmed security forces. The event continued into the early hours of the next day, with significant portions of the building being reduced to rubble. The demolition coincided with a speech delivered by Sheikh Hasina from exile in India. In her address, she urged her supporters to oppose the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, labeling it as "unconstitutional". She said in the speech, "[They] may destroy a building, but they won't be able to erase the history". Hasina's speech was perceived by many protesters as a provocation, leading to the escalation that resulted in the demolition of the residence. Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Osman Hadi was heard chanting, == Aftermath ==

Initial assaults and violence On 6 February 2025, as the demolition of Dhanmondi 32 continued, individuals were seen collecting materials such as steel, iron, tin, and wood. The removal of materials took place in an unregulated manner, with no intervention from law enforcement. On the same day, two individuals—a man and a woman—were physically assaulted near the demolition site. Witnesses reported that the man was attacked after chanting "Joy Bangla" and expressing support for the Awami League. He was knocked to the ground by a mob before being assisted onto a rickshaw by bystanders. Shortly afterward, a middle-aged woman near the site expressed distress, reportedly saying, "আপার ঘর ভেঙ্গে ফেলছে". () This prompted a confrontation with mob, which then assaulted her before bystanders took her to safety. On 12 February 2025, the house of Nuruzzaman Kafi, a coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination, was burned down which he claimed was a retaliation by individuals aligned with the former ruling party for his involvement in the demolition. Disruption of observances On 15 August 2025, the interim government announced that it would prevent the celebration of the 50th death anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to 'avoid further violence'. The area of Dhanmondi-32 and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Tomb was surrounded by police. Around 11 am, a rickshaw puller from Jatrabari was attacked when he arrived at 32 Dhanmondi with a bouquet of flowers in his hand driving a rickshaw. The bouquet of flowers was taken from his hand. In addition to being beaten, his rickshaw was also vandalized. Later, the police arrested Azizur and was granted bail. Notable personalities including Shakib Al Hasan, Shakib Khan, Sohel Rana, Jaya Ahsan were seen posting on social media paying tribute to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Hasina's trial and unrest On 13 November 2025, during a lockdown program called by Sheikh Hasina's party Awami League to oppose her trial, the police arrested a woman at Dhanmondi 32. She had been attacked by a mob after arriving there. She was later charged with the 'July massacre case' and sent to prison. On the same day, a school boy was also arrested by the police along with some books while collecting brick from the ruins. After 6 hours, he was released to the custody of his family on bond. On 17 November 2025, the day the verdict of Trial of Sheikh Hasina was delivered, a mob made an attempt at vandalism at the ruins. The mob brought 2 excavators to the location. However, they were not allowed to move them near the building. Meta Platforms removed the Facebook page of exiled right-wing online activist Elias Hossain following several allegations of inciting violence via social media during the incident. == Reactions ==

National Domestic • Government of Bangladesh: The press wing of the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of the interim government issued a statement regarding the demolition stating: • 26 eminent citizens expressed concern over the incident of vandalism and violence stating: • The Transparency International Bangladesh described the acts of violence as "unusual" and criticised the government for not preventing such incidents. Its executive director, Iftekharuzzaman, stated: • The Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust condemned and expressed concern over the incidents of vandalism and arson. The statement, which strongly demanded the interim government to take effective measures by the law enforcement agencies to prevent violence and chaos, stated: • The Ain o Salish Kendra in a statement said, • Bangladesh Police: Police officials stated, Political The Bangladesh Awami League condemned the demolition, stating that the attack was "an affront to national identity and a bid to erase collective history". Conversely, some opposition leaders and activists viewed the demolition as a symbolic rejection of what they perceived as authoritarianism and political nepotism. Hafizuddin Ahmed of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party reacted to the demolition, calling it "an obstruction to the path of democracy" and also questioned the government's role in it. The Left Democratic Alliance held an emergency meeting, attended by leaders of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist), Communist Party of Bangladesh, Ganatantrik Biplobi Party, and others. • The North American social platform "Ekattorer Prohori" (Guards of Seventy one) condemned the demolition in a statement issued on behalf of the organization by 44 expatriates, including freedom fighters, artists, organizers, professors, lawyers, and activists. Describing February 5 as another "tragic black day" for the "democracy-loving people of Bangladesh" they stated: == Legal initiatives ==

On 25 February 2026, following the thirteenth national parliamentary election, Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Curzon, a professor in the Department of Law at the University of Dhaka, announced his intention to file a lawsuit against Muhammad Yunus, the head of the former interim government, and his advisors. The proposed charges involve four specific allegations, including the destruction of the historic Dhanmondi 32 residence. Regarding the legal grounds, Professor Curzon stated: Prior to this, Mohsin Rashid, President of the Bangladesh Muslim League and a Senior Advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, announced his intention to file a case against Muhammad Yunus on charges of sedition. == See also ==