Dhaka: Government officials, public figures, judges, and even the military are now the victims of the escalating violence in Bangladesh.
Recently, a clash took place in Gopalganj, where an army vehicle was attacked. The Dhaka Tribune reported that 15 people, including journalists, army personnel, and local residents, were injured in the incident. Around 4 p.m. on Saturday, there was an altercation in which two of the injured were shot. As thousands of Awami League supporters took to the streets to demand the return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, violence broke out.
Situation worsened when soldiers tried to disperse the protesters, which resulted in a fight. When the Dhaka-Khulna highway was blocked, protesters began throwing bricks at military personnel. The army responded with stones, but the situation rapidly deteriorated.
The crowd destroyed an army vehicle and set it on fire. Lieutenant Colonel Maksudur Rahman of Gopalganj camp confirmed the incident, saying that between 3,000 and 4,000 people had gathered at the spot. He also mentioned that many soldiers were hurt in the attack. According to former Gopinathpur Union President Lachhu Sharif, army members fired shots to control the situation, injuring two people, including a child. Luckily, no deaths occurred.
The Assam Police has been put on high alert along the India-Bangladesh border as a reaction to the continuing unrest in Bangladesh. G.P. Singh, Director General of Police, announced strict measures to prevent illegal crossings into India. The Indian government has issued orders to make sure that no one who comes from Bangladesh illegally enters the country.
In the midst of the tumult, Bangladeshi religious minorities are also being targeted. Many Hindu temples have been burnt down। On Saturday, interim government head Mohammad Yunus denounced the attacks on minority communities as heinous। He advised young people to safeguard Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families. Since Sheikh Hasina's government fell on August 5, at least 205 attacks on minority communities have been reported in 53 districts, according to the Bangladesh Puja Udyapan Parishad and the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council.
