On November 10, hundreds of hardline Islamists and anti-democratic groups launched violent attacks in Bangladesh as citizens gathered in Dhaka for a pro-democracy rally commemorating Noor Hossain Day, honoring the 1987 martyr for democracy.
Under the banner of a ‘student-people alliance,’ attackers assaulted pro-democracy activists, attempting to block them from attending the rally. But who are these so-called “student people”?
Upon investigation, it became evident that leaders of the self-styled student-people alliance were mercenaries of the unconstitutional leader of Bangladesh Dr. Yunus deployed to overthrow Bangladesh’s elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her party.
After Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, several coordinators of the July-August movement disclosed their affiliations, identifying as members of Islami Chhatra Shibir, a group that opposed Bangladesh’s liberation and advocated for strict Sharia Law. Other prominent players in this so-called student-people mercenary alliance included supporters of BNP, pro-Yunus factions, and Jihadists from Hizbut-Tahrir.
As Bangladesh’s democracy appears to falter, the Awami League has organized a pro-democracy rally in Dhaka today, advocating for the restoration of democratic governance. Ironically, the same groups responsible for violent suppression are now attempting to suppress the rally’s supporters.
Protesters cheered for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, but Bangladesh’s law enforcement responded with a harsh crackdown, confiscating placards and posters of Trump and arresting hundreds of activists.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury criticized Trump in a press conference today, calling him “bankrupt” and claiming the Awami League seeks to return to power under his influence.
Trump recently commented on X (formerly Twitter), condemning violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, especially following the political shift after Sheikh Hasina’s departure. “I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos. This would have never happened on my watch,” he wrote.
