Amid the escalating violence in Bangladesh, Awami League worker Mohammad Rubel Islam crossed into India on Tuesday, seeking refuge. He claims that members of the Jamaat-e-Islami are attempting to turn Bangladesh into another Pakistan. According to Rubel, many people are desperate to flee the country, but the lack of passports and visas makes it difficult.
Rubel, a businessman who frequently travels abroad, managed to enter India through the Fulbari border. He left his home before dawn on Tuesday (August 6) and crossed the border early in the morning, leveraging his business visa to enter India. Speaking to reporters, Rubel shared his harrowing experience and the dire situation back home.
“The situation is horrific. I have come to India for my safety. Awami League leaders’ houses are being looted, and they are being killed. The BNP and Jamaat factions are oppressing them. What started as a student movement has now been hijacked by Jamaat, using the students as pawns. Even the students are starting to realise this,” Rubel explained.
The unrest began as anti-quota protests in June and has since spiralled into widespread violence. Following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure from Bangladesh on Monday (August 5), the country has plunged further into chaos. Vandalism is rampant, affecting significant landmarks from the Prime Minister’s official residence to the Parliament. Even the statue of Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman, the ‘Father of the Nation’ of Bangladesh, has not been spared— it has been hammered, and his picture has been burned.
Rubel described the pervasive fear and instability gripping the country. “People want peace, but unnecessary unrest is being spread. Jamaat is using the student movement to take over the country,” he said. He questioned the involvement of educated students in such destructive activities, suggesting that external forces are manipulating them.
“Evil forces have broken Bangabandhu’s statue. Can any educated student go and set fire to someone’s house or loot it? Jamaat wants to turn the country into another Pakistan or Afghanistan,” Rubel remarked.
The situation in Bangladesh remains volatile, with many fearing for their safety and future amidst the ongoing political and social turmoil.
