The Bulldozer and Excavator Politics of Bangladesh: A Dreadful Sinfonia of Destruction

In Bangladesh, the bulldozer and excavator emerge as both an instrument of defiance and a harbinger of devastation on 5-7 February 2025, its roaring engines slicing through the past, attempting to reshape the contours of a nation’s history. Recently, the streets of Dhaka bore witness to a “bulldozer march,” a protest where these steel leviathans were wielded against the very monuments that encapsulate the struggle and sacrifice that birthed the nation. The targets were not merely physical structures, but symbols of a sovereign identity, revered sites that stood as living testaments to the relentless march toward freedom.

In its origin, the bulldozer was a tool of progress—a symbol of construction and advancement. But across borders, its meaning has metamorphosed. In India, it has become a grim instrument of state power, used to demolish homes and businesses without heed to due process, often aimed at marginalized or minority communities. Here, the bulldozer is no longer a builder but a destroyer of dreams, livelihoods, and rights. And now, in Bangladesh, its role as an enforcer of destruction assumes a darker, paradoxical hue.

This is no ordinary act of demolition. The assault on the historic residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is an act not only of vandalism but of ideological warfare. The building that once cradled the aspirations of a nation, the very birthplace of its independence, was targeted with the belief that in destroying it, the ideals of Mujibism, the very soul of Bangladesh, could be erased. Such logic betrays a fundamental misapprehension: like dandelion seeds scattered by the storm, the ideals of freedom and justice, once released into the wind, cannot be undone.

The perpetrators decried the residence as a symbol of alleged authoritarianism and fascism, whereas they themselves have emerged as fascistic and tyrannical to the core since 5 August 2024. In their twisted attempt to erase a piece of the nation’s soul, they sought to demolish what they could not suppress, believing that a building, once torn down, could wipe away the very essence of the independence it represented. Yet, by destroying the symbol of their nation’s birth, they planted seeds of defiance, for the ideals of Mujibism will not perish in the rubble. They shall take root anew, scattered like fragments across the land.

The demolition was not an isolated incident, but part of a larger, more insidious pattern—one where the forces of violence and lawlessness attempt to tear down not only buildings but the very fabric of democracy itself. For hours, the bulldozers were unleashed upon the residence, yet there was an eerie absence of law enforcement. No police stood guard; no officials intervened to protect the sanctity of the site. The silence of the government in the face of such wanton destruction is not a mere lapse; it is an implicit endorsement of anarchy.

This act of desecration stands as a metaphor for the larger dangers that now threaten Bangladesh. Across the country, public properties, symbols of national pride and cultural identity, are being attacked, defiled, and destroyed. The forces behind these rampages are not spontaneous; they are part of a well-calculated strategy to erase the history of the nation, to rewrite the narrative in the image of those who seek to dominate, to suppress, and to divide. Fascism thrives in the erasure of memory, in the distortion of history, and in the elimination of dissenting voices. By attacking landmarks that embody the struggle for freedom, the perpetrators aim to silence the past and shape the future according to their own narrow, violent vision.

In such a climate, the rule of law becomes fragile, its structures hollowed out by the apathy of those in power. When a government fails to act, when it turns a blind eye to such violations, it accelerates the descent into authoritarianism. The failure to intervene in the face of mob violence does not merely empower the perpetrators; it weakens the very foundation of the nation. The destruction of Bangabandhu’s residence is not just an attack on a building; it is an assault on the heart of Bangladesh, a country whose very identity is forged in the fires of struggle and sacrifice.

This tragedy serves as a clarion call for the people of Bangladesh to unite against the forces of destruction, against those who seek to rewrite history through violence and indifference. The attack on Bangabandhu’s residence is not just an attack on a building; it is an affront to the soul of the nation. The people of Bangladesh must stand together, not merely to protect structures of stone and mortar, but to defend the spirit of independence, the ideals of justice, and the memory of those who fought to bring the nation into being.

The bulldozer and excavator, once a symbol of construction, have now become a symbol of division, destruction, and erasure. But the people of Bangladesh must remember that no machine, no act of violence, can erase the ideals of freedom and justice that are woven into the very fabric of the nation. The heart of Bangladesh beats not in the bricks of a house, but in the souls of its people, in their collective memory, and in their unwavering commitment to the ideals of independence and democracy.

Let this be a reminder to all that the forces of destruction, though powerful in the moment, cannot erase the truth. For the ideals of freedom and justice are not confined to buildings, to monuments, or to the past—they are alive in the hearts of the people, in the very essence of the nation. And as long as that spirit endures, no bulldozer and excavator, no act of violence, can ever truly erase the soul of Bangladesh.

Indeed, troubling signs suggest that Bangladesh’s future may soon be shaped by these shadowy alliances. The rise of individuals like Dr. AFM Khalid Hossain, associated with the radical Hefazat-e-Islam, poses a significant threat to the country’s secular fabric. Reports of attacks on Bangladesh’s Hindu community since Hasina’s exit add to the concerns, pointing to the potential for a return to a more violent and divisive political landscape.

The U.S. deep state’s role in this complex web of intrigue raises critical questions about its involvement in global regime changes, particularly in regions with deep historical and religious tensions. The support of Islamist factions, even in the face of their violent pasts, underscores the broader geopolitical interests at play. As Bangladesh teeters on the edge of uncertainty, the true nature of foreign influence—both seen and unseen—will shape the future of this South Asian nation, once a developed country almost close to any Western nation under HPM Sheikh Hasina government, the true life-line for Bangladesh’s epic developments, now like a Banana Republic, as information from different sources are pouring in.

New history cannot be written by deleting our glorified history which we attained at the bay of blood of people of all religions in 1971 for people of all religions to live together in peace and harmony.

We are accusing the U.S. Deep State raspingly for their collaboration with extremum right-winger Islamists for regime change illegally, unlawfully and unconstitutionally on 5 August 2024 in Bangladesh and forcefully unseating the most successful HPM Sheikh Hasina from power which is not acceptable under any circumstances!

By Anwar A. Khan

Anwar A. Khan, was a frontline freedom fighter of the 1971 war field to establish Bangladesh, and is an independent political analyst, exploring politics, public figures, human rights and international affairs.

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