Following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, on 5 August 2024, which had come after the Hasina's government's mass killings of protesters, known as the July massacre, a wave of violent conflict took place, between protesters and opposition activists on one side, and Awami League supporters, government and security officials on the other. On the day of Hasina's resignation, 25 police officers were killed. According to the Daily Sun, at least 119, including both the students and Awami League activists, were killed that day. According to Prothom Alo, 1,494 sculptures and monuments were vandalized across Bangladesh after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina.
The violence also affected the religious minority communities. According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, there have been over 2,010 attacks on Hindus or their properties spread over 45 districts and 5 Hindus have been killed in these attacks, 2 have been confirmed as Awami League members. Ahmadiyyas in Bangladesh were also attacked by groups damaging mosques and homes. The minority ethnic groups were also attacked. Mobs attacked and vandalized five to nine private television channels. According to Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), since 5 August 2024, BNP is involved in 91.7% violence while Awami League is with 20.7%.
Background During the 2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis, Sheikh Hasina was detained on extortion charges. After she was released from jail, she won the 2008 general election. In 2014, she was re-elected for a third term in an election that was boycotted by the BNP and criticised by international observers. In 2017, after nearly a million Rohingya entered the country, fleeing from genocide in Myanmar, Hasina received credit and praise for giving them refuge and assistance. She won a fourth and a fifth term after the 2018 and 2024 elections, which was marred by violence and widely criticized as being fraudulent.
It is widely believed that Bangladesh experienced democratic backsliding under her premiership. Human Rights Watch documented widespread enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings under her government. Numerous politicians and journalists were systematically and judicially punished for challenging her views.
The July Uprising, was a series of anti-government and pro-democracy protests in Bangladesh, spearheaded primarily by university students. Initially focused on restructuring quota-based systems for government job recruitment, the movement expanded against what many perceive as an authoritarian government when hundreds of protestors and civilians, most of whom were students, were killed in the July massacre. Amnesty International characterized the event as "the deadliest crackdown against protesters in the country's post-independence history", and UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said "the attacks on student protesters are particularly shocking and unacceptable." The majority of the fatalities were caused by gunshots fired by the police and other government forces, using lethal and deadly weapons, against unarmed protestors and non-protesting civilians, including children and pedestrians.
Hasina resigned on 5 August 2024, as large crowds of demonstrators surrounded the prime minister's residence.Mujib Mashal, Shayeza Walid and Saif Hasnat, Bangladesh's Leader Fled Just Ahead of an Angry Crowd, Urged by Family to Go , New York Times (August 6, 2024). Her resignation was announced by Waker-uz-Zaman, the Chief of the Army Staff. Later that day, Hasina fled to India in a chaotic departure, first by car, then by helicopter, and finally by plane. She left no written resignation letter and gave no resignation speech.
Arts and cultural sites
On 5 August, the 140-year old home of Baul singer Rahul Ananda in Dhanmondi locality of the capital city of Dhaka was torched along with 3,000 handmade musical instruments due to the fire set on Bangabandhu Memorial Museum near the home by agitated people shortly after resignation of Sheikh Hasina. The statue of lady justice at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, source of the Bangladesh Statue of Justice controversy, was completely destroyed. Statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bijoy Sarani was destroyed. National Sculpture Gallery was looted and illegally occupied on 5 August. A statue of Sheikh Russel, youngest son of Sheikh Mujib, was vandalized along with a mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sculptures at Mujibnagar Memorial were vandalized. The Venus statue, built more than 200 years ago, at Shashi Lodge was destroyed. Abahani Limited Dhaka, one of the country's largest sports clubs, lost nearly 500 trophies to mob attacks on 5 August 2025. The club's newly built office was shattered, and the furniture was completely demolished. Similar attacks also took place in the office of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Star Cineplex branch in Rajshahi was looted and vandalized. The Independence Museum at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka was vandalized. The Indira Gandhi Cultural Center, an institution of the Indian High Commission to Bangladesh, was vandalized and burned down.
In November 2024, an annual event commemorating the reputed Baul mystic Lalon Fakir, was cancelled at Narayanganj Sadar Upazila of Narayanganj due to violent intimidation by members of the Hefazat-e-Islam, on grounds of music being prohibited in Islam. A similar event commemorating Lalon at Tangail's Madhupur Upazila was also forcibly cancelled by Hefazat-e-Islam on similar grounds in February 2025. Basanta Utsab celebrations at Dhaka's Uttara was cancelled due to threats from Islamists.
On 21st February 2025, a replica of the Shaheed Minar, Dhaka was vandalised by unknown miscreants at Chauddagram Upazila of Comilla District.
In June 2025, a section of the Shahjadpur Kachharibari was vandalised by an enraged mob, causing the site to be closed indefinitely to outsiders.
Awami League The residences and offices of members of parliament and ministers was vandalized and burned down by the mob.
The Awami League office at Raiganj Upazila was burned down and some ran to the press club where they were assaulted. Mobs attacked, looted, and burned down the homes of Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury and Nizam Uddin Hazari. The office of Shusen Chandra Sheel, chairman of Feni Sadar Upazila Parishad, and the houses of Amir Hossain Bahar and Md Manik, Feni municipality councilors, were looted and burned down. Cars parked near or at the budlings were also destroyed. The home of Md. Abu Zahir, member of parliament, was burned to the ground after a mob laid seize to it for four hours. The office Baksiganj Upazila unit of Awami League was burned down. The car of the chairman of Bagarchar union parishad was burned down. The residence of Mirza Azam, member of parliament and former Minister, was vandalized. A car owned by the Awami League organizing secretary of Pabna Sadar Upazila unit, Abu Sayeed, was burned down. An office of the Jubo League near Bulbul College was burned down. Protestors set fire to 36 motorcycles throughout the day. Awami League men set fire to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party office. The home of Shamsul Hoque Tuku, deputy speaker of parliament, was vandalized. The home of Hosne Ara, a Member of Parliament, was burned and looted during the violence.
Following the resignation 11 people were killed in Comilla including six who were burned to death after the residence of Md. Shah Alam, a former councilor, was burned down. Five of the dead were from ages 12 to 17. Four people died after the home of Shafiqul Islam Shimul, member of parliament, was burned down. The mob also set fire to his brother's house and his former residence.
Two Jubo League leaders were murdered in Bogra District. A Chattra League activist was killed after refusing to pay extortionists on 17 August in Gournadi Upazila. Salim Khan, Chairman of Lakshmipur Model Union Parishad, and his son, actor Shanto Khan, were killed by a mob. A UP chairman of Anwara Upazila was assaulted and chased from his office on 18 August. The Sayeman Beach Resort was vandalized Cox's Bazar District. The chairman of Bochaganj Upazila Parishad Afsar Ali went to file a case about his house being vandalized instead he was forced to resign by students and arrested by the police. The Faridpur District offices of Awami League and Chhatra League were vandalized. Two members of Jubo League were killed in Feni District. Jessore District Awami League office was vandalized. The Awami League office in Nilphamari town was vandalized. Awami League men attacked the office of Alamgir Sarder, President of Nilphamari District unit of Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The home of Mohit Ur Rahman Shanto, member of parliament for Mymensingh-4, was vandalized. The home of Subash Chandra Bose, President of Narail District Awami League was vandalized. The Narail District Awami League office was burned down. The residence of Nizam Uddin Khan Nilu, General Secretary of Narail District Awami League, was burned down. The homes of Shamim Osman and Salim Osman was attacked and burned down.
Talimul Islam Khan, Ganganandpur union parshad member was burned alive in Jhikargacha Upazila after his house was barricaded and set on fire. His wife and three-year-old child were injured in the fire. Hiron, chairman of Porahati Union Parishad and his chauffeur, Asad, were beaten to death and their bodies hung from a statue. The house of Jewel Hossain, a local leader of the Awami League in Jhenaidah, was burned down killing two people inside. In Khulna, the home of Sheikh Helal Uddin and Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, both members of parliament and relatives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, were vandalized and burned down. The Khulna District Awami League office and the office of the Khulna District magistrate was vandalized. The residence of Asaduzzaman Noor was vandalized. The residence of Rezia Islam, women member of parliament, was burned down along with two of her vehicles. The home of Naimuzzaman Bhuiyan, member of parliament, was vandalized. The home of Mayor Zakia Khatun of Panchagarh Municipality was burned down along with former chairman Amirul Islam and former councilor Shafiqul Islam.
Koyra Upazila chairman GM Mohsin Reza, his bodyguard, and chauffeur were beaten to death by a mob. His house was burned down. The homes of Monnujan Sufian, former Minister, and SM Kamal Hossain, member of parliament, were vandalized. An Awami League office and a police box was vandalized near Saddam Bazar intersection in Kushtia. The home of Suman Khan, Joint General Secretary of Lalmonirhat District Awami League was burned down killing six people inside. The Magura District Awami League office and DC office were vandalized. Awami League men also vandalized the district Bangladesh Nationalist Party office. The Thakurgaon District Awami League office was burned down and several stores nearby were vandalized.