Dhanmondi 32: People taking away books, iron rods, anything available

A man is taking away cartons of books from the six-storey building, just behind the Dhanmondi 32 house, Dhaka on 6 February 2025Drinja Chambugong

Many people were seen taking away books, steel frames, metal ware and many other items from the six-storey building, just behind Dhanmondi 32, the home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in the capital city.

Hundreds of agitated people were seen tearing down the six-storey building around 10:00 am on Thursday.

The demolition of Dhanmondi 32 was also going on. As of 11:00 am, most of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 has been demolished.

A visit to the area this morning showed hundreds of people were entering the six-storey building, immediately behind the museum, and coming out with whatever they could get their hands on. The sound of knocking down the building was also heard from inside.

Most of the objects that are people taking from the building are books by and on Sheikh Mujib and the family members. Some were carrying cartons of books.

A man is carrying steel frames, to be sold as scraps
Prothom Alo

Those include “The Unfinished Memoirs”, “The Prison Diaries”, “Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman-Vol 3”, “Janasomudre Ek Mohamanob”, “Jatir Janak O Sheikh Russel” and so on.

Many people were seen carrying metal objects that could be sold as scras. Some were also seen throwing steel and iron frames in pieces down while others, waiting downstairs, were taking them by rickshaws. Most of them were low income people.

A certain Al Amin was carrying iron frames. He said, “Bhai, I will sell these and buy something good, either beef or chicken, to eat. Nothing else.”

Some people were seen throwing objects towards the people waiting downstairs to carry those
Prothom Alo

Another person, apparently an onlooker, said, “This woman just destroyed the party with her ego.”

A large gathering was seen in front of the Dhanmondi 32 Thursday morning. Hundreds of people were coming and taking pictures and videos.

The demolition work was going on around 10:30 am as well. However, the work was stopped for an hour.

A youth is taking books away from the building on 6 February 2025
Prothom Alo

Agitated student-people on Wednesday night demonstrated in a large scale at Dhanmondi 32 centering an announcement to publish a speech of ousted autocratic prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India. At one stage, they set fire to the house of Sheikh Mujib and started vandalising it.

Apart from the Dhanmondi 32, Sheikh Hasina’s residence, Sudha Sadan, at Dhanmondi 5/A was also set on fire and vandalised on Wednesday night.

The autocratic government of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) was dethroned in the face of student-people uprising on 5 August 2024. Wednesday marked six months of the mass uprising.

Banned organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League announced to air the speech of Sheikh Hasina on its Facebook page on the night.

A man is taking away a wooden frame from the building
Prothom Alo

Tension was prevailing in the social media over the announcement the whole day yesterday.

A number of persons, who joined the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and several online activists called the “bulldozer procession” and “March to Dhanmondi 32” on Facebook.

The agitators started the vandalism, breaking into the house of Sheikh Mujib around 8:00 pm. They also tore down the mural of Sheikh Mujib constructed in front of the house. The vandalism began from there.

People are taking away steel frame to sell those as scraps
Prothom Alo

The agitated people set fire to Dhanmondi 32 and vandalised the building after the fall of the autocratic government of Awami League in the July mass uprising. Since then the house remained abandoned.