World
The day after in Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh – A day after Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year autocratic rule ended, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, took on a sombre and unusual appearance.
The city’s streets, which had been filled with jubilant crowds following Prime Minister Hasina’s fall around 2pm (08:00 GMT) on Monday, were now notably less busy, with fewer vehicles and pedestrians.
Most striking was the complete absence of police – no constables, officers or traffic sergeants were visible in the city of about 20 million residents.
In many locations, traffic was being managed by people in their early 20s. At the Bijoy Sarani intersection, a major crossroads leading to the airport and parliament, about five or six young men were directing traffic with bamboo sticks, even a cricket bat.
One man with a pointed goatee controlled the flow of cars heading towards the Tejgaon Industrial Area by waving a bamboo stick, first directing traffic towards the airport and then allowing vehicles bound for Tejgaon to proceed in an orderly manner.
The scene where there once stood an iconic bronze statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s father and Hasina’s father, had also dramatically changed.
On Monday night, a throng of people used ropes to topple the statue and dismantled its base using hammers and chisels. Enthusiastic crowds then moved in to collect pieces of the overturned statue.
“It reminded me of the video of Saddam Hussein’s statue being pulled down,” said Asraf Ul Jubair when he shared a video of the scene on Facebook.
It was a similar scene at the Mohakhali intersection, another typically busy area of the city, where young people were directing traffic.
One of them, Rabbi, who did not provide his surname or age, smiled when asked about his role. “There are no police… ‘shob bhagse’ – which means they [the police] have all vanished out of fear,” he explained.
Monday night violence
On Monday night, after the massive crowds celebrating Hasina’s fall had dispersed, a wave of violence erupted. Groups armed with sticks and sharp weapons moved through various parts of Dhaka, attacking individuals affiliated with Hasina’s Awami League party.
Mahbubul Haque, a resident of Dhanmondi, an Awami League stronghold, told Al Jazeera that around midnight, a group of people arrived in a car and began vandalising the gate of an apartment building across from his home.
The building was occupied by a prominent intellectual known for his strong support of Hasina’s controversial actions, such as the suppression of students during the quota protest.
“At one point, they started firing guns, and we were terrified,” Haque recounted. “Then some armed forces arrived, and they fled in the car. It’s frightening.”
The violence continued throughout the night, with hundreds of videos of various attacks across the country circulating on social media and going viral.
This led to widespread speculation, including claims that Hindu homes in Muslim-majority Bangladesh were being burned, and that police were firing bullets from police stations in different places as angry mobs tried to enter and burn those down.
Jumanah Parisa, a third-year student at Brac University, told Al Jazeera that she stayed up all night reading and watching videos about events. She felt panicked. “We didn’t protest to make this land lawless,” she said.
On Monday, clashes across the country resulted in at least 119 deaths – the deadliest day in the week-long protest. Because the police are seen as corrupted by the Hasina administration, many police stations were targeted by protesters. Moreover, Hasina’s close ties with the Indian government had led to rumours Indian agencies were helping her government suppress the protests.
While some protest videos depicted atrocities like arson and violence, the speculation surrounding them was often exaggerated, according to Qadaruddin Shishir, a fact-checking editor for AFP, who spent Sunday night debunking claims and posting clarifications on social media.
“The images of burning temples are outdated,” Shishir explained to Al Jazeera. “Yes, there were attacks on police stations due to grievances over police brutality, but the police involved were Bangladeshi, not Indian.”
Meanwhile, images of people, including madrassa students, standing guard in front of temples and Hindu homes circulated widely on social media.
Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, a leader of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, told Al Jazeera that Hindu temples were protected and no Hindus were killed. However, he noted that many Hindu homes and businesses were attacked by mobs in over 20 districts.
“But those Hindus were associated with the Awami League party and they were not attacked because of their religious identity, rather because of their connection with Awami League,” said Pramanik. “I haven’t heard any news that a regular Hindu family without any political connection was attacked anywhere.”
“Anyway, law enforcement must be immediately reinforced,” he said. “Otherwise, the situation will spiral out of control.”
‘We will leave no trace of the Awami League’
On Tuesday morning, the talk of the town was who would head the interim government.
In most households and places, people were discussing that Muhammad Yunus, the country’s Nobel laureate, is going to head the government as its chief adviser.
Most of the city meanwhile was calm, with no signs of violence or confrontation.
However, in the upscale Dhanmondi area, crowds continued to gather at the remains of the Awami League chairperson’s office, the Bangabandhu Museum and Hasina’s former residence, Sudha Sadan. These sites had been set ablaze by an angry mob the previous afternoon.
At noon, another building beside the Bangabandhu Museum, which was previously used for Awami League gatherings, was burning.
“We will leave no trace of the Awami League in the country,” a young man, who declined to give his name, told Al Jazeera while he struck the building with a hammer.
Road No. 3A, which housed several Awami League buildings including the party chairman’s office, resembled a war zone. At least three buildings were completely destroyed.
Yusuf Banna, a resident of the road, told Al Jazeera he had been in a state of panic throughout the night. “People had such intense anger against the Awami League that it seemed unstoppable. I was worried about my family’s safety, as an angry mob is unpredictable.”
In the nearby Kalabagan area, residents were seen using chisels and screwdrivers to deface a mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Sabur Ali, a middle-aged man, proudly told Al Jazeera that he had been destroying symbols of the Awami League and Rahman since Monday noon.
Saiyeed Abdullah, a law graduate and social media influencer, called for the immediate restoration of law and order. “We have successfully ousted a dictator and aspire to build a just nation. While I understand the grievances against the Awami League and Hasina, allowing angry mobs to control the streets is not sustainable,” he said.
Abdus Shakur, a motor mechanic who spent Monday night awake in front of Dhaka’s Dhakeshwari temple, told Al Jazeera that citizen volunteers would ensure no vandalism, communal violence or crimes occur in the absence of police or law enforcement.
“We are expecting a new government that will not only restore law and order but also provide proper justice,” said Shakur, 28. “Until then, we will remain vigilant on the streets.”
World
Keir Starmer reportedly considering stepping down as PM and could announce timetable for departure
British PM Keir Starmer could face leadership challenge amid internal troubles
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces significant internal pressure following Andy Burnham’s special election win, potentially triggering a leadership contest. Starmer is under fire for economic pressures, illegal immigration issues, and controversies surrounding his previous role in prosecuting grooming gangs. Elon Musk also accused Starmer of complicity.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly considering stepping down and could announce a timetable for his departure as early as Monday, according to a report published Saturday.
Britain’s Observer newspaper reported that Starmer was discussing his future with his wife at his Chequers country residence before making a final decision.
The outlet reported that senior Labour Party figures expect a statement addressing his future as early as next week.
A government source told Reuters that Starmer remains focused on governing and pointed to previous comments in which he vowed to remain in office.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer awaits Switzerland’s Federal President Guy Parmelin on the sidelines of the G7 summit, in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday. (Isabel Infantes/Pool Reuters via AP)
Fox News Digital has reached out to the prime minister’s office for comment.
Pressure on Starmer has been building for months amid growing dissatisfaction within his party and concerns over the government’s handling of the economy and cost-of-living issues.
The political threat to Starmer intensified Friday after rival Andy Burnham won a seat in Parliament, positioning him to mount a formal leadership challenge.
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Britain’s Labour party candidate Andy Burnham speaks to supporters after the Makerfield by-election in Ashton in Makerfield, England, Friday. (Jon Super/AP)
Starmer congratulated Burnham following the victory, writing on X that voters, “chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate.”
When asked about Burnham’s apparent ambitions to replace him, Starmer insisted he intends to remain in office.
“I’ve said repeatedly I’m not going to walk away from that,” Starmer said.
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Sir Keir Starmer is battling to save his position and refusing to stand aside despite dozens of Labout MP’s demanding he resigns. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Starmer has led the Labour Party since 2020 and became prime minister in 2024.
Calls for his resignation intensified last month, with more than 100 Labour lawmakers publicly urging him to step aside or set out a timetable for his departure. Several parliamentary aides also resigned in protest.
The internal revolt followed a series of disappointing local election results for Labour, which lost hundreds of council seats across England, surrendered long-held ground in Wales and fell behind political rivals in Scotland.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks a news conference at Downing Street in London, March 5. (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File)
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Starmer’s popularity has also declined amid a persistently high cost of living, sluggish economic growth and criticism over his acceptance of gifts from wealthy donors.
Fox News Digital’s James Cirrone and Emma Bussey, and Reuters contributed to this report.
United States President Donald Trump has pledged there will be no tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, unless they are collected by his own country.
Trump’s statement, made in a Saturday afternoon post on Truth Social, is the latest sign that a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) may be unravelling.
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“There will be NO TOLLS in the Hormuz Strait for 60 days during the Cease Fire Period, and there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired,” Trump wrote, “unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America.”
Since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, Iran has successfully used the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure point, closing the strategic waterway to traffic.
But under the terms of Wednesday’s ceasefire memorandum, the strait is supposed to reopen for an interim period of 60 days. During that time, Iran is barred from charging vessels for passage.
On Saturday, however, Iran’s joint military command said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing a “clear breach” of the memorandum’s commitments.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency that oversees military operations in the region, denied that report and maintained that the traffic continues to flow through the waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz has long been a flashpoint in the conflict between the US and Iran. Nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas is transported through the strait, as well as about 30 percent of the global fertiliser trade.
Closure of the strait has caused global fuel costs to soar and has tested agricultural sectors across the world.
Trump had responded to Iran’s chokehold over the strait by imposing a US naval blockade on Iran’s ports in the region.
But that naval blockade was lifted under the terms of Wednesday’s memorandum. The deal also paused fighting on all fronts in the regional conflict, including in Lebanon.
The memorandum, though, was not intended as a long-term deal. It serves as a launching point for negotiations on key issues, including the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Several points of divergence also went unaddressed in the memorandum. Nowhere does the memo say that future tolls cannot be collected from the strait after the 60-day period expires.
Before the war, there was no charge for passage through the strait. Trump himself said in an interview with The New York Times that the waterway should remain “permanently toll-free”.
But he appeared to reverse course in Saturday’s post, once again floating the possibility that the US could extract tolls in the strait, while barring Iran from doing so.
No fees should be levied, Trump wrote, “unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed”.
He explained that such a charge would compensate the US “for services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs”.
Trump used similar language in his New York Times interview earlier this week, floating the US becoming “the guardian of the Middle East” in exchange for 20 percent of its revenue.
Saturday’s post is not the first time Trump has mused about the US imposing tolls in the strait, either.
In April, for instance, he discussed the idea with reporters, saying, “What about us charging tolls? I’d rather do that than let them have them. Why shouldn’t we? We’re the winner. We won.”
There has been no indication that Trump’s plans have been officially presented to countries in the region, many of whom have struck a careful balance in their dealings with both the US and Iran during the war.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have repeatedly said they will not rule out imposing tolls in the strait, framing the issue as a matter of sovereignty and regional negotiation. The strait sits between Iran and Oman.
Further discussions are expected on the matter in the coming weeks.
But such negotiations have been thrown into jeopardy amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, which threaten to violate Wednesday’s ceasefire memorandum.
Iran claimed that Saturday’s closure of the strait was a result of new Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, which killed dozens of people after the ceasefire was announced.
Iranian officials have also said that any upcoming talks should focus on proper implementation of the initial memorandum, and that the 60-day negotiating period stipulated in Wednesday’s deal would begin after that was settled.
Pakistan, a top mediator between the US and Iran, has said that follow-up talks are set to begin in Switzerland on Sunday.
Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that an Iranian delegation, led by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, has already arrived for the negotiations.
On the US side, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance are expected to attend.
Vance departed for Switzerland late Saturday.
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