Since 5 August 2024, Bangladesh has been engulfed in a wave of medieval zealotry, rapidly consuming the nation with no signs of abating. This ominous descent into chaos has been stark and unmistakable, threatening to dismantle the country’s democratic foundations.
As an observer intimately familiar with Bangladesh’s political landscape since 1966, I write from personal experience, having closely monitored developments over the decades, particularly from 2023 to 2025. My visit to the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 on 7 February 2025 was a harrowing experience. Once a revered institution that enshrined the legacy of our 24-year-long struggle for independence—including the 1971 Liberation War under our beloved Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—the museum now lay desecrated.
I watched in horror as men and women, clad in medieval garb, frantically tore apart what was once a proud symbol of our national identity. Armed with tools of destruction, they defiled this sacred site, spewing venomous invective against Bangladesh’s liberation, its martyrs, and its revered leaders. Reports from across the country indicated similar attacks on the homes of Awami League leaders, underscoring the systematic nature of this violent campaign.
Bangladesh now teeters on the precipice of political collapse, caught between authoritarian repression and an insidious wave of religious extremism. The erosion of democratic institutions and the rise of intolerance are fracturing the nation’s political fabric. Despite widespread international condemnation, global powers have yet to take decisive action. If this inertia persists, the fallout will not be confined to Bangladesh alone—it will destabilise the entire region, triggering a wider international crisis.
At the heart of this crisis is the systematic dismantling of the rule of law. A state-sponsored campaign under the Yunus-led puppet government has resulted in the unlawful detention of political dissidents, independent journalists, and human rights defenders. These are not isolated incidents of political hostility but part of a deliberate effort to dismantle democratic governance. Without immediate international intervention, the consequences will be catastrophic—not just for Bangladesh but for the global community.
Opposition leaders, activists, and journalists have been unlawfully detained, subjected to brutal mistreatment, and forced into extrajudicial violence. This calculated assault is designed to neutralise political opposition. The government’s repressive tactics now extend beyond arrests and intimidation to large-scale demolitions as a form of collective punishment. The destruction of historic sites like the Dhanmondi 32 residence is not merely political retribution—it is an attempt to erase the very history that shaped Bangladesh’s democratic identity.
The trajectory of these events signals an impending crisis: large-scale violence, mass incarcerations, and the systematic eradication of opposition forces. The international community must act swiftly to prevent Bangladesh from descending into irreversible chaos.
Since the appointment of Yunus as head of the interim government on 8 August 2024—engineered by the CIA, ISI, and extremist right-wing Islamist factions—violence against religious and ethnic minorities, particularly the Hindu community, has surged. By December 2024, over 2,200 incidents of violence had been reported, with numerous Hindu temples and communities subjected to brutal attacks. These developments raise serious concerns about Bangladesh’s secular identity and the rising communal tensions that threaten to engulf the nation.
Meanwhile, political instability has deepened. Accusations of politically motivated prosecutions against Awami League members abound, with legal actions targeting key figures, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This political vendetta, coupled with the rise of religious extremism, has plunged Bangladesh into unprecedented turmoil.
The power vacuum left by Hasina’s removal has allowed extremist factions, including the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Islam, to gain ground. The public release of its leader from prison in August 2024, followed by widespread demonstrations advocating for an Islamic caliphate, has sent shockwaves through the country. The implications for Bangladesh’s secular identity and national security are deeply alarming.
Despite securing a crucial US$4.7 billion loan from the IMF in early 2024, Bangladesh’s economic outlook remains dire. Inflation soared to 11.38% in November 2024, compounding the economic crisis. Political instability has further exacerbated the situation, with the interim government pivoting its foreign policy towards closer ties with Pakistan and China—marking a sharp departure from the previous administration’s strong alliances with India and Western nations.
As Bangladesh enters 2025, its future remains precarious. The ability of the interim government, under Dr Yunus, to address the country’s political, economic, and security challenges is increasingly doubtful. His leadership has proven disastrous, with the Bangladesh Army aligning itself with extremist elements linked to Yunus, propelling the nation into an era of medieval darkness. This regression threatens to erase the near-Western level of development achieved under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.
The rise of extremism and communal violence, coupled with the absence of a unifying political vision, makes Bangladesh’s future deeply uncertain. The demolition of the Dhanmondi 32 Lighthouse—once a beacon of our independence struggle—is a grim testament to the regime’s complicity in eradicating Bangladesh’s secular legacy. The Yunus-led puppet government, backed by the military, is deliberately transforming Bangladesh into a state where religious extremism prevails, leaving no space for minority communities to exist peacefully.
The international community must act decisively to safeguard Bangladesh’s democratic future and prevent further devastation. The fate of Bangladesh carries profound implications for regional stability and global security. The world must not turn a blind eye to the impending catastrophe—now is the time to stand firm in defence of democracy, human rights, and the values upon which Bangladesh was built.
