A year after Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s dramatic ouster and escape to India, Bangladesh is once again engulfed in violence. A fresh wave of crude bombings, arson attacks, and political unrest has left the nation&rsquo;s capital, Dhaka, on edge, just days before the verdict in the former prime minister&rsquo;s trial.
Schools across Dhaka and several major cities have shifted to online classes, while public transport is partially paralyzed amid widespread fear and disruption. The unrest comes as the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) prepares to deliver its verdict on November 17, in cases against Hasina that include crimes against humanity and murder linked to last year&rsquo;s deadly protests.
<h3 data-start="1144" data-end="1184">Arson and explosions rock Dhaka</h3>
The capital witnessed a series of explosions this week, the first near Grameen Bank headquarters, run by Bangladesh&rsquo;s current chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus. Local reports indicated as many as 17 blasts across Dhaka, including near St. Joseph School and College, followed by bus fires in Shahjadpur and Merul Badda.
Though no casualties have been reported so far, the incidents have reignited fears of a repeat of last year&rsquo;s chaos, which left over 800 dead and 14,000 injured in the violence that toppled Hasina&rsquo;s government.
A local commuter described the eerie calm in the city: &ldquo;We are hearing all kinds of rumours, but like any other day, people are out on the streets. There&rsquo;s no sense of fear among us.&rdquo;
However, passenger turnout has plummeted, and buses run half-empty as the Awami League&rsquo;s &lsquo;lockdown&rsquo; call takes effect.
<h3 data-start="2065" data-end="2120">Crackdown intensifies amid nationwide lockdown</h3>
In response to the escalating violence, authorities have deployed the army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and riot police around the ICT complex and key government installations.
Dhaka Police confirmed the arrest of 44 Awami League members, even as the party banned from political activity since Hasina&rsquo;s removal, called for a nationwide shutdown to protest what it termed a &ldquo;politically motivated trial.&rdquo;
Unidentified assailants have set fire to five empty buses in Munshiganj, Tangail, and Hasina&rsquo;s hometown Gopalganj, prompting heightened security checks and curfews in parts of the capital.
<h3 data-start="2751" data-end="2791">Hasina awaits judgment in exile</h3>
Hasina&rsquo;s trial, unfolding in her absence, has become the focal point of Bangladesh&rsquo;s deepening political divide. The once-powerful leader of the Awami League was ousted on August 5, 2024, after weeks of protests spiraled into deadly riots. She has since been residing in India, where she has reportedly given multiple interviews criticizing Muhammad Yunus, remarks said to have angered the current administration.
Her supporters argue the trial is retribution for her past policies. The ICT&rsquo;s November 17 verdict could further ignite tensions ahead of next year&rsquo;s national elections, where the power vacuum left by her ouster remains unresolved.
For now, Bangladesh finds itself teetering between justice and instability, its streets once again echoing the sounds of conflict, its citizens caught between political vengeance and the hope for peace.

Dhaka on Fire Again: Bangladesh Braces for Hasina Verdict

A year after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, crude bomb attacks & arson grip Bangladesh once more

Dhaka on Fire Again: Bangladesh Braces for Hasina

A year after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, crude bomb attacks & arson grip Bangladesh once more

November 13, 2025 | 21:14 IST