Who's Fueling Hatred for Bangladesh Founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman?
Pakistan calls Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman a traitor and India describes him as a hero and champion of freedom. But where does he stand among the Bangladeshi population? Sputnik India tries to find out.
SputnikThe repeated attacks on historical sites associated with the country's Liberation Movement and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, including his residence by a mob in Dhaka on Wednesday, are desperate attempts to erase the heroic legacy of Bangladesh's founding father, experts have said.
The house on Road 32 in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka holds immense historical significance in Bangladesh's struggle against Pakistani forces and its war of independence. It was in this house that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman lived with his family until he was brutally assassinated on August 15, 1975, along with almost all of
his family members – except for his daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana.
This historic structure was first attacked just hours after Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh on August 5. Then, on February 5, a group of individuals carrying the flags of Al-Qaeda*, the Islamic State (ISIS*), and Hamas – while chanting jihadist slogans – stormed the premises and completely demolished the house using bulldozers, award-winning Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a counterterrorism expert, told Sputnik India.
Law enforcement agencies did not intervene to stop these so-called protesters, and the army briefly arrived before leaving without taking any action, he added.
Following this, Pakistani social media accounts posted messages such as: 'End of traitor's legacy: Mujibur Rahman's house in Dhaka demolished by Bangladeshi revolutionaries', the Dhaka-based pundit highlighted.
Later on, numerous similar posts appeared from both Pakistan and Bangladesh, particularly from jihadist groups, which effectively exposed the forces behind this act of terrorism.
"The attackers responsible for demolishing the building were primarily from the local 'Stranded Pakistani' community, along with members of Hizb ut-Tahrir*, Ansar al-Islam (an Al Qaeda affiliate), and so-called student protesters aligned with Muhammad Yunus." Choudhury said. "However, it is crucial to note that these individuals do not represent the broader population of Dhaka. Out of a city of over 20 million people, fewer than 2,000 individuals participated in the acts of vandalism, looting, and destruction."
One of the key factors fueling this hostility – particularly among certain youth groups – is the systematic spread of disinformation through social media and extremist networks. Platforms like Facebook**, and X (formerly Twitter) are being used to manipulate narratives, distort historical facts, and incite hatred against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he elaborated.
Radical groups exploit these digital spaces to promote
anti-liberation propaganda, falsely depicting Bangladesh's independence as a 'betrayal' of the Muslim world, thereby attempting to rewrite history in favour of Pakistani interests, the strategic affairs specialist noted.
"Additionally, segments of the younger generation, particularly those from madrasa backgrounds or economically vulnerable communities, are being indoctrinated by Islamist extremist groups. These radical organisations strategically target youth through religious sermons, online campaigns, and anti-government rhetoric, portraying Mujibur Rahman as a 'secular enemy' of Islam. This has contributed to a growing disconnect between some sections of young people and the true history of Bangladesh’s independence," Choudhury stressed.
The silence or inaction of law enforcement agencies raises serious concerns. Given the symbolic importance of Bangabandhu's – father of the nation – house, any attack on it should have been met with a swift and strong response, he pointed out.
Even so, the failure to prevent its demolition suggests either a lack of political will or deep-rooted infiltration by extremist sympathisers within state institutions. While some government officials have condemned the attacks, no substantial action
has been taken against the perpetrators, the expert expressed.
It is also notable that international actors – such as the United Nations, and others – have not issued strong statements regarding these acts of historical erasure. This silence further emboldens radical forces seeking to undermine Bangladesh's national identity, Choudhury suggested.
"Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remains a deeply respected figure among the majority of Bangladeshis. He is widely regarded as the architect of the nation's independence and a symbol of the country's struggle against oppression. However, attempts to erase his role stem from several interwoven factors, including geopolitical interests, radical ideological movements, and deliberate historical revisionism," the journalist observed.
He believes that Pakistan has never reconciled with its defeat in 1971, and its military establishment harbours a deep resentment towards Bangladesh. Extremist elements in Bangladesh that seek to undermine the country's independence movement are often funded and supported by Pakistan, the expert believes. According to him, this includes promoting narratives that depict Mujibur Rahman as a 'traitor' and attempting to erase the horrors of Pakistan’s genocidal actions during the war.
Efforts to distort history are not merely ideological but also serve a larger strategic goal. By erasing the legacy of Mujibur Rahman and the war of independence, certain forces hope to reshape Bangladesh's identity, steering it
towards a more conservative, Islamist-influenced governance model, the expert highlighted. This would make Bangladesh more susceptible to influence from external actors who support political Islam, Choudhury emphasised.
"The attack on Mujibur Rahman's house and the broader efforts to erase his legacy are not isolated incidents. They are part of a calculated, long-term strategy involving radical Islamist groups, foreign actors, and disinformation campaigns. While a majority of Bangladeshis continue to honor Mujibur Rahman's contributions, it is crucial to counter these revisionist narratives through education, historical preservation, and stronger governmental action," the global affairs commentator opined.
Failure to address these challenges could lead to the further destabilisation of Bangladesh, making it vulnerable to both internal extremist movements and external geopolitical manipulations, he added. The question now is whether the Bangladeshi government and international allies will take decisive steps to safeguard the nation's historical truth – or allow these forces to rewrite its past for their own agendas, Choudhury summed up.
The attacks on monuments linked to the Bangladesh founder were not just about hatred against him, they were mainly against Bengali identity in general and India in particular, geopolitical analyst Hari Mohan, the founder of the popular international affairs YouTube channel JYOTIRMAY, told Sputnik india.
When one sees these so-called protesters, it can be easily noticed that they are displaying flags of Al-Qaeda on one side and chanting anti-India slogans, and threatening the Indian government on the other side. So while demolishing the house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, they are mainly targeting Bengali identity so that they can
radicalise the society and along with it they can turn it against India, he underlined.
"In Bangladesh, since 1947, one can see a clear division of identity among the people. This division is not cultural or religious but is ideological. On one side a large section of the society identifies itself as Bengali first, as Bengali language, culture, and this idea puts them close to India," Mohan said.
The other section of the society is the one that loves to identify itself as Muslims: they prefer Urdu as their first
language and Arabic culture and consider themselves closer to Pakistan, he explained. Interestingly these were the people who helped the Pakistan Army during the 1971 genocide & presently they are present in the form of Jamaat-e-Islami* in Bangladesh, he elucidated.
Mujib was a Bengali first and was closer to India and for this reason, a traitor to Pakistan, the expert stated. Moreover, the various attempts to erase the history of Bangladesh's freedom struggle are clearly an effort to subjugate Bengali identity under Islamist identity, Mohan concluded.
* Terrorist organisations banned in Russia and other countries
** Meta banned in Russia as an extremist organisation