New Delhi/Dhaka, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The ancestral residence of former Bangladesh cricket captain and ex-Awami League MP Shakib Al Hasan in Magura was targeted in a suspected petrol bomb attack on Wednesday night, just hours after he appeared virtually alongside former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a press conference held in New Delhi.
The incident occurred around 8:45 p.m. local time at Shakib’s ancestral home in the Keshabmor area of Magura town. Besides the suspected petrol bomb attack, the property was also reportedly vandalised.
According to police and local sources, the explosive device was thrown at the upper portion of the iron gate on the southern side of the house. A team from Magura Sadar Police Station reached the spot soon after receiving information and inspected the premises.
Magura Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Al Mamun said the matter was under investigation.
“We are looking into the incident. It cannot be confirmed at this stage whether it was a petrol bomb. The actual circumstances will be known after the investigation,” he said.
The attack came shortly after Sheikh Hasina addressed a virtual press conference organised at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi, where she reaffirmed her intention to return to Bangladesh in December despite the risks.
Related Posts
“My return is not about power. It is about putting Bangladesh back on the path of development, secularism and prosperity,” Hasina said, adding that she was prepared to face imprisonment or even death upon her return.
“I know they may put me in jail or kill me. I will go back home to be with my people,” she said.
Hasina has been living in India since August 5, 2024, after leaving Bangladesh following the collapse of her government amid prolonged anti-government protests. In November last year, a special tribunal in Dhaka sentenced her to death in absentia in connection with alleged crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 protests. Bangladesh has since sought her extradition from India.
Responding to the attack on Shakib’s residence, the Awami League alleged that it was linked to his participation in the virtual press conference.
In a statement on social media, the party described the incident as evidence of what it called growing political intolerance in Bangladesh. It also claimed that opposition parties and Islamist groups had publicly warned media organisations against covering the press conference.
During her address, Hasina appealed to the international community to support the people of Bangladesh in their struggle for democracy and justice.
“Fear has entered homes, workplaces and educational campuses. This is not the Bangladesh we built,” she said.
Besides Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, several Awami League leaders, including former Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, also joined the media interaction virtually.
Hasina’s decision to address the press from Indian territory had earlier drawn a diplomatic response, with Bangladesh seeking clarification from New Delhi over the event.
FOLLOW NOW
