Student groups and political parties that led the 2024 uprising against Sheikh Hasina are now clashing, testing the stability of the current BNP-led government.
Key facts
- •At least 30 activists were injured in clashes on August 5, 2026, following more than 100 injuries reported the previous day.
- •The Human Rights Support Society reported 17 deaths and 51 injuries from mob violence in July 2026, alongside 45 incidents of political violence.
- •A total of 9,157 people were arrested in July 2026 across 193 political and other incidents.
- •The July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum was inaugurated in the former Ganabhaban residence on the second anniversary of the uprising.
- •Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad expressed shame after witnessing a physical altercation between student groups at a state-sponsored event.
Two years after a mass uprising ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is experiencing a surge in political violence involving the very groups that led the movement. Clashes between student wings of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami have spread across multiple university campuses. The unrest has disrupted official anniversary commemorations, including a state function attended by Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.
By the numbers
Campus Clashes and Political Fractures
Violence intensified during the anniversary week, with significant confrontations reported at institutions including Jagannath University, Dhaka College, and Begum Rokeya University. At Jagannath University, clashes broke out during an official event when student leaders attempted to present demands to the University Grants Commission chairman. The conflict escalated to the point where activists reportedly entered a hospital emergency ward to assault injured rivals. Analysts suggest these incidents reflect a deepening divide within the coalition that removed Ms. Hasina, with campus control becoming a primary point of contention.
Disruption of State Commemorations
Tensions reached an official state function at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre, where a documentary screening sparked a dispute over who deserved credit for initiating the uprising's demand for the former Prime Minister's resignation. The resulting commotion led to some diplomats leaving the venue early. Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad expressed public regret, stating he felt ashamed and pained by the behavior witnessed in his presence, which he noted exposed significant divisions in national unity.
Government and Opposition Responses
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who leads the BNP, inaugurated the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum at the former official residence of Sheikh Hasina. He warned that creating instability could inadvertently facilitate the return of the previous autocratic regime. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman addressed an opposition rally, claiming that the country is heading toward disaster and suggesting that another revolution may be imminent.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Hindu.
