Violence erupts in Bangladesh as Sheikh Hasina loyalists storm hometown, torch vehicles

At least four people were killed on July 16 in Gopalganj, Bangladesh during violent confrontations between Awami League supporters and security personnel in Sheikh Hasina’s hometown.

The unrest began as a controversial march by the National Citizen Party (NCP)—formed by student protesters last year—progressed toward Gopalganj, escalating quickly into clashes involving sticks and burning vehicles.

TV footage, as reported by AP and AFP, showed protesters brandishing sticks and setting vehicles on fire, while security forces responded with tear gas and sound grenades.

The violence followed the NCP’s "March to Gopalganj," which marked the anniversary of Hasina’s ouster in August 2024.

In response, authorities imposed a night‑long curfew in Gopalganj and deployed military escorts to safeguard NCP leaders. A senior hospital official reported four fatalities, while the interim government condemned the violence as “utterly indefensible.”

Both the interim administration, headed by Muhammad Yunus, and the now-banned Awami League denounced the violence.

The government vowed action, and opposition leader Nahid Islam of the NCP issued a 24-hour ultimatum for arrests, with the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami calling for nationwide protests.

This unrest highlights the deep political rift in Bangladesh following Hasina’s fall last year. Observers warn that such violence threatens the fragile democratic transition, with general elections expected in April 2026.

Gopalganj—a politically symbolic district as the birthplace of Bangladesh’s founding father—has now become the epicentre of renewed political confrontation.