Fear and anxiety grips Dhaka as harrowing incidents of violence come to light in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Aug 6 (IANS) Attendance at various government offices in Dhaka remained quite low amid growing fear and anxiety, Bangladesh media reported on Tuesday, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country.

With the central office of the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital set on fire Monday night, tension gripped the ministry offices where portraits and photographs of Hasina were taken down on Monday morning.

“The smell of the fire from the Awami League office in the morning could be sensed from the Secretariat, increasing the fear among the officers and employees. Many people were leaving the Secretariat out of fear,” reported Dhaka Tribune.

The leading national daily quoted an official as saying that people were currently working “under the directives of the Secretary” and will keenly watch how the situation unfolds.

“Some officers and employees believed that leaving the Secretariat in this situation could be exploited by miscreants, potentially damaging important state documents. Therefore, they preferred to stay at the office,” the report mentioned.

Meanwhile, violence and chaos continues in the country after Hasina left Dhaka for New Delhi on Monday.

The Daily Star reported that at least 24 people were killed after a mob set fire to Zabeer International Hotel owned by Shahin Chakladar, the general secretary of Jashore District Awami League in the Khulna Division.

“The bodies were lying on different floors,” said Mamun Mahmud, Deputy Director of Khulna Fire Service who said that the blaze was finally doused around 5:45 am, local time on Tuesday.

The local media also reported a surge in sale of bail bonds in Dhaka courts following the decision that hearings will be held immediately whenever a bail application is made in a political case.

“After receiving the news, lawyers began applying for bail for the accused arrested in political cases starting from Tuesday morning.

“Since morning, long queues of lawyers have formed at every booth in the court to buy bail bonds. The decision to hear bail applications was taken during a meeting with lawyers earlier in the morning in the district judge’s court meeting room,” reported Dhaka Tribune.

–IANS