A series of crude bombs exploded across Dhaka on Sunday, intensifying fears in the Bangladesh’s capital just hours before a major court ruling involving ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Although there were no reported injuries, the blasts deepened tensions in a city already shaken by days of political unrest.
Sheikh Hasina, 78, is currently on trial in absentia, facing charges of crimes against humanity linked to a deadly crackdown on student protests in mid-2024. She has repeatedly denied the allegations and remains in India after being removed from power last August. The verdict is set for Monday, and anticipation has heightened security concerns across Dhaka and beyond.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali has issued shoot-at-sight instructions for anyone caught committing arson or attempting violence with crude bombs.
Security reinforcements spread throughout Dhaka, Hasina’s ancestral region Gopalganj, and neighbouring districts. Since early Sunday, police, army, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, Armed Police Battalion, and intelligence teams formed a multilayered cordon around the tribunal and High Court zone.
Patrols, rooftop surveillance, checkpoints, and stringent movement controls in major neighborhoods also created a sense of unease on city streets as officials moved to enforce the strictest possible measures across the capital.
Dhaka Shutdown Amid Rise In Violence
Over 30 crude bomb exploded and dozens of buses were set ablaze in Dhaka and other districts in the past week. Mass arrests of Awami League activists followed allegations of sabotage and involvement in the blasts.
The banned Awami League’s two-day shutdown call, aligned with a dramatic increase in bomb blasts and arson, deepened the city’s unrest. In just 48 hours, Dhaka saw nine arson attacks and multiple explosions in areas including Mirpur, Hatirjheel, Agargaon, New Eskaton, and near the airport railway station.
Police reported 17 explosions between November 1 and 11, spanning 15 locations and resulting in 17 criminal cases and 50 arrests. Commissioner Sajjat Ali described the violence as a coordinated scheme by a “sabotage group” working to destabilise Dhaka.
By Sunday afternoon, the International Crimes Tribunal and High Court zone was turned into a fortress. Armoured police vehicles guarded intersections near National Eidgah and Matsya Bhaban, with snipers and intelligence teams stationed on rooftops. Mobile scanners and barricades sealed off critical approaches, effectively isolating the ICT and High Court.
Security patrols and checkpoints also increased throughout key neighbourhoods including Dhaka University, Shahbagh, Press Club, Farmgate, Motijheel, Dhanmondi, Karwan Bazar, and Gulistan. The DMP promised that “not even an inch of the capital” would go uncovered, with officials saying they are ready for any contingency.
The DMP, citing the Awami League’s shutdown call, asserted there were no immediate security risks for November 17, but has mobilised at full strength for any eventuality. Detective Branch chief Md Shafiqul Islam noted security was “normal,” and that forces are prepared.
As Awami League supporters called for a nationwide lockdown, they argued Hasina’s case is politically motivated. The government, however, maintains that the prosecution has presented ample evidence of past atrocities.
Security services, including cyber monitoring teams, insist there is no reason for public alarm, but remain on high alert with digital threat assessments and continuous patrols.
