Violence Erupts in Bangladesh as Hasina Loyalists Clash with Student-Led Movement

At least four people were killed and dozens injured Wednesday as violent clashes broke out between supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and followers of a rising student-led political movement in Bangladesh. 

The unrest took place in the southwestern district of Gopalganj, triggering a government-imposed overnight curfew.

Image Source: Hindu Voice on X

The confrontation began when members of the National Citizen Party—a newly formed group led by students who spearheaded the 2024 uprising against Hasina—marched toward Gopalganj, her ancestral home and a symbolic bastion of her now-banned Awami League party. 

Their convoy of around 20 vehicles was attacked by pro-Hasina groups, who were seen on live television striking police with sticks and setting vehicles ablaze.

Leaders of the student movement sought refuge in the office of the local police chief before being escorted by soldiers to safety in an armored vehicle. They were later moved to a neighboring district under military protection.

Jibitesh Biswas, a senior official at a government hospital, confirmed receiving at least three bodies. The Daily Star reported the death toll at four. Scores of others were reported injured, though official figures are pending.

The interim government, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, condemned the violence. A statement from Yunus called the Gopalganj attacks “utterly indefensible” and vowed that perpetrators would be held accountable.

The Awami League, which was banned in May, rejected the accusations and blamed the interim administration for Wednesday’s bloodshed. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the party accused the government of weaponizing state forces to crush dissent and demanded international attention.

Nahid Islam, a prominent student leader, issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding arrests in the Gopalganj attack. He warned of another protest march in the nearby district of Faridpur if no action was taken.

Bangladesh’s Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, often opposed to both Awami League and BNP, also condemned the crackdown and called for nationwide protests on Thursday.

Since Hasina’s ouster 11 months ago, the country has descended into a pattern of political turbulence, mob violence, and administrative paralysis. Critics argue that the interim government has failed to stabilize the nation or bridge the growing political divide.

Yunus, who assumed office three days after Hasina fled to India, has pledged a general election in April 2026. His government is seeking Hasina’s extradition to face charges of crimes against humanity, but India has not responded to the request.

Gopalganj remains deeply symbolic in Bangladeshi politics as the burial site of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—Hasina’s father and Bangladesh’s founding leader, assassinated in a 1975 military coup.

The National Citizen Party launched its “July March to Rebuild the Nation” earlier this month, aiming to present itself as a viable alternative to the long-dominant Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The BNP, traditionally Hasina’s main political rival, remained largely silent on the day’s events.

The deepening unrest casts doubt on prospects for peaceful democratic transition in a country already on edge.