Petrol bomb attack at Shakib Al Hasan's home hours after joining Hasina's presser
The house of former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan in Magura came under attack on Wednesday evening after unidentified individuals allegedly hurled bricks and stones at the property, damaging parts of the residence. Petrol bombs were also allegedly hurled at Shakib’s house by unidentified miscreants during the attack. The incident took place at around 8:45 pm local time at his residence in the Keshab Mor area of Magura town.
Sound of crackers was heard outside his house. The attack came shortly after Shakib, a former Awami League MP from the Magura-1 constituency, participated in a media interaction addressed virtually by former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina from New Delhi. The event was organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia.
During the interaction, Hasina defended her government’s handling of the July-August 2024 unrest and described the student-led uprising that led to her ouster as a “meticulously designed” regime-change operation.
POLITICAL TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH
The incident comes amid continuing political tensions in Bangladesh following Hasina’s removal from power last year.
Ahead of the media interaction, leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) publicly criticised the event and warned media organisations against carrying or broadcasting Hasina’s remarks, according to reports. Awami League leaders and supporters have alleged that the attack on Shakib’s residence was linked to his participation in the event. However, Bangladeshi authorities have not established any motive for the attack, and police have yet to identify those responsible.
Magura Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed that several windowpanes of the house were shattered during the attack. No one was injured, and police personnel were deployed to the scene soon after receiving information.
“Several miscreants threw brick chips at the house and vandalised windows. They also tried to set the house on fire,” the officer told The Daily Star.
POLITICAL TIES KEEP SHAKIB IN SPOTLIGHT
While regarded as Bangladesh’s greatest all-round cricketer, Shakib has remained a polarising figure because of his political association with the Awami League. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Magura-1 constituency in the 2024 general election as an Awami League candidate, a poll that opposition parties and critics described as lacking genuine competition.
The Awami League has since been banned from political activities in Bangladesh following the dramatic political upheaval that saw former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lose power in August 2024. On Wednesday, Hasina addressed a press conference from exile, calling for the ban on her party to be lifted and reiterating her intention to return to Bangladesh later this year despite facing multiple legal challenges.
Shakib was also part of Sheikh Hasina’s press conference, further highlighting his continued association with the former ruling party at a time of heightened political tensions in the country.
SHAKIB YET TO RETURN TO BANGLADESH
Since the fall of the Hasina government, Shakib has not returned to Bangladesh. Multiple legal cases were filed against him after the political transition, including a murder case in which he was named among several accused. The former Bangladesh captain has repeatedly said he wants to return home and face the legal process but only if he is assured of his personal safety and protection from harassment.
The veteran all-rounder, who has continued to play franchise cricket overseas while living with his family in the United States, has maintained that security concerns remain the biggest obstacle to his return. Earlier this year, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also left the door open for Shakib’s return to the national team.
Since last playing for Bangladesh back in the 2024 tour of India, Shakib has been a globetrotter in T20 cricket, having played in the Caribbean Premier League, Lanka Premier League and other tournaments around the world.
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