After a hiatus of 18 months, the Pabna District Awami League office witnessed the hoisting of the national flag yesterday, Friday. Several party leaders and activists gathered in the afternoon to ceremonially raise the flag, chanting slogans in support of the party. However, barely 24 hours later, on Saturday afternoon, the same office was deliberately set on fire.
The office, located on Abdul Hamid Road in central Pabna, has been largely abandoned since 5 August 2024, when the collapse of the Awami League government led many party officials into hiding. At that time, enraged student groups and local residents carried out several incidents of vandalism and arson at the premises.
According to eyewitness accounts, yesterday’s flag-raising event was organised by a handful of party leaders and activists who entered the office, which had remained unused for over a year. Participants raised the national flag while chanting slogans including “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu” and “Sheikh Hasina will come, Bangladesh will smile.” A video of the event quickly circulated on social media.
The video footage shows district Awami League’s Information and Research Secretary, Advocate Toufiq Imam Khan, leading the group alongside Upazila Awami League leader Mahbub Alam Khan and Paurashava Awami League leader Rahman, joined by two or three others chanting slogans.
Tragically, the celebratory event was short-lived. Later on Saturday afternoon, a group of young men reportedly entered the office carrying tyres. Finding little else of value, they set the tyres ablaze inside the office, creating a significant fire. Eyewitnesses noted that the fire produced thick smoke and a strong smell of burning, while the curious public watched from a distance without attempting to intervene.
By 4:30 pm, the two-storey building appeared skeletal and desolate, littered with debris, evoking the image of an abandoned haunted house. Smoke continued to rise from two rooms on the ground floor where the tyres burned, leaving the office in a state of ruin.
The Pabna Sadar Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge, Md. Dulal Hossain, commented on the incident, saying: “We are monitoring the situation closely. Any unlawful or disruptive activity will be addressed promptly and appropriately.”
The recent developments underscore the fragile security situation surrounding the district Awami League office, which has been a target of public unrest and political tensions since the government’s fall. The contrast between yesterday’s patriotic display and today’s deliberate destruction highlights ongoing challenges for local political leaders attempting to maintain a presence in the area.
Incident Timeline
| Date | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Aug 2024 | Government collapse | Party leaders go into hiding; office abandoned |
| 5 Aug 2024–2025 | Repeated vandalism | Office attacked by protestors multiple times |
| 21 Feb 2026 | Flag hoisting | National flag raised by party leaders; slogans chanted |
| 22 Feb 2026 | Arson attack | Office torched; tyres set ablaze, building severely damaged |