Narail, Bangladesh – The home of Mashrafe Mortaza, former cricket captain and current Member of Parliament for Narail-2, was set ablaze amid escalating student protests on August 5. Mortaza, a prominent figure in the Awami League, has recently secured his parliamentary seat for the second term.
The incident occurred shortly after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the country due to intensified student unrest, marking the end of her 15-year second stint in power. Hasina has led Bangladesh for 20 of the past 30 years, following her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding leader who was assassinated in 1975.
According to reports from the Dhaka Tribune, the District Awami League office was also set on fire, and the home of its president, Subash Chandra Bose, was vandalized. Jubilant mobs stormed the Ganabhaban, the Prime Minister’s official residence in Dhaka, looting furniture and electronics. Images surfaced showing protesters carrying off a red velvet, gilt-edged chair and various vases.
In a symbolic act of defiance, protesters climbed a statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, chiseling at the head with an axe, highlighting deep discontent with the political legacy of the ruling party.
Mashrafe Mortaza, who switched from cricket to politics in 2018 by joining the Awami League, is a significant figure in Bangladeshi sports. He captained Bangladesh in 117 matches, took 390 international wickets, and scored 2,955 runs across 36 Tests, 220 ODIs, and 54 T20Is.
As the violence escalated, Sheikh Hasina flew to India, arriving at Hindon Air Base near New Delhi. She was met by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Details about her stay and future plans remain undisclosed, and the Indian government has yet to issue an official statement on the developments in Dhaka, despite the close cultural and trade ties between the two nations.
These events underscore the growing instability in Bangladesh, with public discontent manifesting in increasingly violent ways.