Bangladesh has entered an intensified phase of security vigilance as the country awaits the verdict in the war crimes and genocide case involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Security forces have implemented sweeping measures nationwide, placing Dhaka and several surrounding districts under an elevated state of preparedness. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner has gone so far as to authorise officers to use live fire if they witness arson attacks, petrol bombings or any assault intended to harm the public or the police.
The Supreme Court, the tribunal handling the case, and other strategic locations have been placed under layered security. Police units, RAB, intelligence agencies, Border Guard Bangladesh and army personnel have been mobilised to deter any attempt at coordinated unrest. Authorities have explicitly warned banned political groups not to stage flash processions or carry out sabotage, particularly crude bomb explosions or attacks on buses and public buildings.
The capital witnessed several crude bomb detonations from late afternoon into the night, adding to a week-long pattern of violent attempts across the country. Vehicles have been torched under cover of darkness, small explosive devices have been hurled in busy areas, and several districts have reported targeted vandalism. The atmosphere of fear has prompted many private schools to suspend in-person classes and move online.
The Supreme Court has formally sought military support to secure the tribunal on the day of the verdict. Border Guard Bangladesh confirmed deployment in Dhaka, Gopalganj, Faridpur and Madaripur to help stabilise the situation.
Opposition parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, have announced that they will remain active on the streets. BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described the national mood as one of “deep uncertainty and apprehension,” accusing a political faction of preparing to provoke fresh disorder. Civil society groups, meanwhile, have expressed anger at the continuing arson and have organised nationwide protests, including symbolic demonstrations planned for Shahbagh.
Across the country, attempts at sabotage have been reported: highways in Gopalganj and Madaripur were blocked by felled trees; buses in Savar, Hazaribagh and Gazipur were set ablaze; and branches of Grameen Bank were targeted with petrol bombs. Explosions were also reported in Hatirjheel, Kawran Bazar, Agargaon and the Airport Railway Station. In Sylhet, an ambulance and a parked bus were torched by masked youths.
Police have intensified their crackdown, arresting 44 members of the banned student wing in Comilla and detaining 10 activists in Dhaka for organising covert processions. Checkpoints have multiplied across major entry points, while intelligence teams monitor suspected instigators.
Senior police officials reaffirm that the public’s safety remains the top priority, stressing that maximum security measures are already in force. They warn that any attempt at provocation, vandalism or arson will be met with immediate and decisive action.