In Dhaka, a city that has learned to read its streets for signs of danger, a run of crude bombs and burning buses has arrived in the days before a court is expected to rule on the fate of Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister who fled the country after last year's unrest. The ruling, due from the International Crimes Tribunal on November 17, carries the weight of a reckoning for a nation still counting its dead, with official figures above 800 and a United Nations estimate near 1,400. The banned Awami League, which sees the trial as a political wound, has answered with a nationwide lockdown
Crude Bombs and Arson Rattle Dhaka as Bangladesh Awaits Verdict in Sheikh Hasina Trial
Over 800 people reportedly died and about 14,000 were injured in last year's unrest, according to the country's health adviser; the UN estimated nearly 1,400 deaths.
The streets were unusually empty, though some commuters still headed to work
Mark
Why is the Grameen Bank blast getting so much attention?
Mimi
Because the bank is run by Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser. It was the first explosion reported, so it reads as aimed at the government's leadership, though the report doesn't say who set it.
Luke
Right, and nobody has been named as responsible. The buses were set alight by unidentified people. Linking the attacks to the Awami League's lockdown call is context, not a finding.
Mark
What do we know about the scale?
Mimi
Blasts at nearly 17 sites, five buses burned across Dhaka, Munshiganj, Tangail and Gopalganj, and no casualties reported so far.
Luke
Note the phrasing: reports said nearly 17. That's attributed, not independently confirmed here. And the buses were empty, which matters for how we read intent.
Mark
And the lockdown itself?
Mimi
Streets were described as unusually empty and bus ridership dropped, yet some commuters carried on. One said he felt no fear.
Luke
That's one commuter on a local channel. It shows a mixed picture, not a measure of how widely the lockdown held.
Mark
What about the death toll from last year?
Mimi
The health adviser says over 800 dead and about 14,000 injured. The UN said nearly 1,400 might have died.
Luke
Two different figures from two sources, and the UN one is a 'might have.' The real number is still contested.
El Pulso
- Roughly seventeen sites were struck by blasts and arson in Dhaka and other cities, with five buses set alight and no casualties reported so far.
- The Awami League's nationwide lockdown has emptied streets and thinned bus ridership, pressing ordinary workers to choose between staying home and earning a living.
- Troops, Border Guard personnel and riot police now ring the tribunal complex, and public gatherings near government buildings in Dhaka have been banned.
- Dhaka police have arrested 44 Awami League members this week, as the party's leadership and its opponents trade the blame for the violence.
- All eyes are fixed on the November 17 verdict, with the possibility of further attacks hanging over a country already marked by last year's deadly turmoil.
In Dhaka, a city that has learned to read its streets for signs of danger, a run of crude bombs and burning buses has arrived in the days before a court is expected to rule on the fate of Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister who fled the country after last year's unrest. The ruling, due from the International Crimes Tribunal on November 17, carries the weight of a reckoning for a nation still counting its dead, with official figures above 800 and a United Nations estimate near 1,400. The banned Awami League, which sees the trial as a political wound, has answered with a nationwide lockdown, and the emptied roads and the caution of ordinary commuters show a people caught between defiance and the simple need to get to work. Bangladesh now stands between a verdict and the elections promised for next year, and what it does with its anger will shape what comes next.
The first blast this week went off outside the Grameen Bank headquarters in Dhaka, an institution led by Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser who now guides Bangladesh. It opened a string of crude bomb and arson attacks that have unsettled the capital and other cities as the country waits on a court ruling about its deposed leader.
The International Crimes Tribunal is due to rule on November 17 in cases against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The charges include crimes against humanity, among them murder, over the protests and violence that led to her ouster on August 5 last year. Bangladesh's health adviser has said more than 800 people died and about 14,000 were injured, while a United Nations report in February put the toll near 1,400.
The banned Awami League has called a nationwide lockdown in protest. Five empty buses were set alight in Dhaka, Munshiganj, Tangail and Gopalganj, Hasina's hometown, and blasts reportedly struck around seventeen sites, including outside the residences of priests and teachers at St Joseph School and College. No casualties have been reported so far.
The streets told their own story. Witnesses described them as unusually empty, and bus passenger numbers fell sharply, yet some people still went to work. One commuter told a local channel that rumours were everywhere but that he felt no fear among the people going about their day.
Security has tightened, with troops, Border Guard personnel and riot police around the tribunal, and gatherings near government offices in Dhaka banned. Police said 44 Awami League members were arrested this week. Hasina, now in India, has given interviews criticising Yunus and his policies, and has thanked India for offering her safe haven.
The country now lives between two dates: the verdict on November 17 and the national elections scheduled for next year. What matters next is whether the violence continues after the ruling, and how the Awami League chooses to respond.
The first blast this week went off outside the Grameen Bank headquarters in Dhaka, a institution run by Muhammad Yunus, who serves as Bangladesh's chief adviser. The Daily Star reported it. It was the opening of a run of crude bomb and arson attacks that have unsettled the capital and other cities as the country waits for a court ruling on its deposed leader.
The ruling is due from the International Crimes Tribunal on November 17, according to local media. It concerns cases against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina over the protests and violence of last year. The charges include crimes against humanity, among them murder. Hasina was ousted on August 5 last year after weeks of unrest. Bangladesh's health adviser has said more than 800 people died and about 14,000 were injured. A United Nations report in February put the possible toll at nearly 1,400.
Hasina's party, the Awami League, which is banned from political activity, has called for a nationwide lockdown to protest her trial. Local media reported that unidentified people set fire to five empty buses in Dhaka, in suburban Munshiganj, in central Tangail, and in Gopalganj district, Hasina's hometown.
Reports said blasts struck nearly 17 sites. One was in front of the residences for priests and teachers at St Joseph School and College. After the bombings, buses were burned in two Dhaka neighborhoods, Shahjadpur and Merul Badda. No casualties have been reported so far.
The lockdown's effect showed in the streets. Witnesses described them as unusually empty, and bus passenger numbers reportedly fell sharply. Some people still went to work. One commuter told a local TV channel that rumours were everywhere but that people were out as on any other day, and that he felt no fear among them.
Authorities have tightened security. Army troops, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh personnel and police in riot gear are deployed around the tribunal complex. Public gatherings of every kind have been banned around government establishments in Dhaka. Dhaka police said 44 Awami League members were arrested this week.
Hasina fled to India after the unrest and has given interviews to several Indian media outlets. According to reports, those interviews irked Yunus because she spoke against him and his policies. She has also said she is grateful to the Indian people for giving her safe haven.
The tension sits between two dates: the verdict on November 17 and national elections scheduled for next year. Whether the attacks continue after the ruling, and how the Awami League responds, will be the things to watch.
Citas Notables
Rumours are everywhere, but people are out on the streets like any other day, and there's no sense of fear among us.— Commuter, speaking to a local TV channel (paraphrased)
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Crime & Justice