Dhaka implemented stringent security measures on Thursday in response to a nationwide lockdown call issued by the banned Awami League, the former ruling party of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, protesting her impending trial on charges of crimes against humanity related to the violent suppression of the 2024 student-led uprising that ended her 15-year tenure and resulted in over 1,400 deaths, forcing her into exile in India where she has maintained complete public silence.

Educational institutions across the capital and major urban centers transitioned to online instruction and postponed examinations, while public transportation services were severely curtailed, leaving thoroughfares unusually vacant; military and paramilitary forces were deployed to safeguard key installations, including the special tribunal in Dhaka scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Monday, with chief prosecutor Tajul Islam reiterating the demand for capital punishment against Hasina as the primary orchestrator of the crackdown.

Incidents of targeted violence have escalated in recent days, including a firebomb attack on a government office in Gopalganj—Hasina’s ancestral district and traditional stronghold—and the arson of a Grameen Bank branch in eastern Bangladesh established by interim leader Muhammad Yunus; additional reports confirm crude bomb detonations at Dhaka University, the torching of a passenger train and a public bus in the capital, underscoring persistent political instability despite the interim administration’s efforts to restore order.

Also Read: Bangladesh-Pakistan Diplomatic Meet Draws Controversy Over Coffee Table Book

The tribunal is conducting proceedings against Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan in absentia, while former Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who has turned state witness after admitting guilt, appeared under heavy security to provide testimony; concurrently, Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed has advocated for inclusive elections permitting Awami League participation as the sole path to national stability, amid reports of widespread arrests of party supporters and the indefinite postponement of parliamentary polls originally slated for February.

Diplomatic friction intensified when Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner to register formal objections to New Delhi facilitating Hasina’s email interviews with prominent Indian media, wherein she accused Yunus of aligning with Islamist elements and violating political rights; as Yunus prepares to deliver a national address Thursday afternoon, the convergence of judicial reckoning, banned-party mobilization, and cross-border tensions risks precipitating renewed turmoil in a nation still grappling with the aftermath of last year’s seismic political rupture.

Also Read: Dhaka Airport Fire Causes $1 Billion Losses in Garment Exports