Last Updated on November 18, 2025 7:49 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
A fresh wave of arson and crude bomb attacks swept across Bangladesh on Monday, intensifying political tensions a day after the International Crimes Tribunal handed down death sentences to deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
Within 24 hours, at least eight vehicles, two educational institutions, and multiple public and private properties were set ablaze in Dhaka, Kishoreganj, Netrakona, Chattogram, Narayanganj, and Gazipur. Security officials said the pattern of attacks suggests “coordinated sabotage.”
The violence surged during a nationwide two-day “complete shutdown” enforced by the Awami League, which remains largely underground but is accused by law enforcement of orchestrating disruptive activities following the verdict.
In Kishoreganj, unidentified groups torched a Grameen Bank branch and an ambulance in separate pre-dawn attacks. Residents said the attackers shouted slogans including “Joy Bangla,” prompting police to increase patrols in the area.
Netrakona saw two schools—Khaliajuri Girls’ School and Borokanda Primary School—set ablaze, damaging classrooms, furniture, and staff rooms. Teachers said the incident has created panic among parents.
In Dhaka and its outskirts, at least six buses, a mini-truck, and private vehicles were burned in Mohammadpur, Uttara, Savar, Ashulia, and Mohakhali. Explosions of crude bombs near Titumir College caused panic among students. Police also reported several bombs detonated near government buildings in Mohakhali.
In Chattogram, a passenger bus was attacked and torched on the Bayezid Link Road, and a land office signboard was burnt in Sitakunda. No casualties were reported, though witnesses said the attackers fled before police arrived.
Law enforcement has arrested 25 Awami League activists in Dhaka and 15 in Narayanganj in connection with the incidents.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officials said they are investigating whether the attacks were pre-planned to destabilise the country ahead of the upcoming national elections.
The Home Ministry has directed police and RAB to strengthen night patrols, protect key installations, and identify networks responsible for the violence.
Bangladesh ex-President Abdul Hamid’s residence attacked, vandalised
The ancestral residence of former Bangladesh president Abdul Hamid in Mithamoin upazila of Kishoreganj was attacked and vandalised late Monday night, shortly after a celebratory procession erupted over the death sentences handed to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and ex–home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in a crimes-against-humanity case linked to last year’s July uprising.
Witnesses said 20–30 people broke away from a larger procession brought out by local BNP activists and forcibly entered the compound around 10:30–11pm. The attackers allegedly smashed the main gate, broke doors and windows, and vandalised furniture, cupboards, and framed photographs. No family members or other occupants were present at the time.
Kamrul Islam, a local witness, told this correspondent that the procession, led by Mithamoin Upazila BNP member Alamgir Shikder, began with over 100 participants from Mithamoin Bazar. “A group suddenly separated near Kamalpur village and entered the former president’s home, breaking the gate and vandalising everything inside,” he said.
Mithamoin Police Station officer-in-charge Alamgir Kabir confirmed the incident. “Several household items were damaged in the sudden attack. No one was injured,” he said. Police and army personnel rushed to the spot and have since tightened security around the residence. No arrests have been made so far, the OC added, noting that legal action would follow an investigation.