An unknown group is trying to take control of the Bangladesh Awami League’s headquarters in Dhaka, ANI reported. The body has been working under the banner of the "International Institute on Fascism and Genocide". Every room in the office is being cleaned and no one knows under whose orders the exercise is being done.
Those overseeing the work said the Bangladesh Awami League office will be entirely cleaned before the anniversary of the fall of Sheikh Hasina in the student-led uprising on August 5.
"This is an establishment from the era of the fascist Sheikh Hasina. We don't want more fascists to be born here. That's why we are taking it under control. No one's permission is needed for this work," ANI quoted Shkhawat Hossain, who is in charge of supervising the cleaning work, as saying to the reporters.
The facade of the building, located at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka, depicts a banner which read, “International Institute on Fascism and Genocide”. Many say people involved in the movement against the ousted PM Sheikh Hasina will use the 10-storey building as their rest house.
Sheikh Hasina's resignation
Notably, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from the top post on August 5 last year after large crowds of demonstrators surrounded her Dhaka residence. Her resignation was announced by Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman. Later that day she left for India by plane without giving any resignation speech.
After her fall, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus.
Bangladesh Awami League faces government ban
The Bangladesh Awami League, founded in 1949, is one of the oldest and most prominent political parties in the country. It played a key role in Bangladesh’s fight for independence.
Recently, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government imposed a ban on all activities of the Awami League. Following Hasina’s fall, angry protesters set fire to several party offices, including the main Awami League headquarters. Demonstrators also started dismantling statues and monuments of Sheikh Hasina and her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Earlier, they even tore down the historic house at 32 Dhanmondi—formerly used as the Bangabandhu Museum.
