After a mob vandalised and set ablaze the historic house of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka, his daughter and deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her opponents can erase the structure, but can't wipe out the history of her family.
Hasina’s comments came during a virtual audio address posted on her Awami League party's social media account.
The ousted premier has been residing in India since she fled Bangladesh in August last year after a massive student-led protest toppled her 16-year regime.
Also read: B'desh protests Hasina’s activities, blames speech for violence
"Why do they fear a house? We live for those memories of Dhanmondi... Last time they set this house on fire, now they are destroying it. Have I not done anything for this country? Then why such disrespect? The only memory that both my sister and I have clung to is being wiped out... I want to ask my people who is behind this. I want justice... A structure can be erased, but history cannot be wiped out," Hasina, who was moved to tears, said. She warned that the opponents must remember that history takes its revenge.
A big group of protesters vandalised and set on fire Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's residence in Dhaka on Wednesday during Hasina's live online address organised by the Awami League's now-disbanded student wing Chhatra League.
Several thousand people rallied in front of Hasina's father Mujibur Rahman's house in the capital’s Dhanmondi area, which was earlier turned into a memorial museum, early Wednesday following a social media call for “Bulldozer Procession” as Hasina was supposed to make her address.
An excavator later started demolishing the residence. The demolition was still underway on Thursday morning.
The residence of Hasina, Sudha Sadan, located on Road 5 in Dhanmondi, was also set on fire by protesters late on Wednesday. Since the ousting of the Hasina-led government on August 5, Sudha Sadan had been completely vacated.
Protesters also demolished the Khulna home of Hasina's cousins Sheikh Helal Uddin and Sheikh Salauddin Jewel.
Protesting students removed the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall of Dhaka University.
The homes of former lawmaker of Kushtia-3 and Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and president of Kushtia Awami League Sadar Khan were ransacked.
Protesters in Chattogram took out a torch procession to demonstrate against Hasina's speech. They later defaced Sheikh Mujib's murals at various locations.
The student movement earlier promised to scrap Bangladesh’s 1972 Constitution as they promised to bury the “Mujibist constitution” while some far-right groups also suggested a change of the national anthem adopted by Mujib-led post-independence government.
Hasina's father is widely viewed as an independence hero, but anger at his daughter has tarnished his legacy.
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide”.
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