Sheikh Hasina's banned student outfit calls shutdown: Bangladesh on alert after spate of blasts, arson

Bangladesh is bracing for a nationwide shutdown on Tuesday (November 10), called by the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, amid a spate of crude bomb explosions and arson attacks targeting public transport, police establishments and government infrastructure.

More than 50 crude bomb explosions and at least eight buses being set on fire have been reported in Dhaka over the past few days. The escalating incidents have triggered security concerns ahead of the shutdown, with authorities stepping up surveillance and police deployment across the capital.

The latest incidents were reported on Sunday, when multiple explosions were heard at Dhaka University, including near the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), the university's administrative building, the Vice-Chancellor's Chattar and the Mukti-Ganatantra Toron. Explosions were also reported outside the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Malibagh.

Other locations targeted in recent days include police establishments in Adabor, Jatrabari and Pallabi, the Bangladesh Ansar headquarters in Khilgaon, and the Setu Bhaban in Banani. At least one unexploded crude bomb was also recovered near the Setu Bhaban.

According to police accounts reported by local media, several attackers arrived on motorcycles, hurled crude bombs and fled. CCTV footage is being examined to identify those involved. Some people have been detained or arrested in connection with individual incidents, although investigators are yet to publicly establish whether all the attacks are linked or identify a common chain of command.

What is behind the November 10 shutdown?

In its nationwide shutdown call, the Bangladesh Chhatra League has put forward an eight-point set of demands, invoking what it describes as the restoration of democracy, political freedoms and students' rights. Among its principal demands are the withdrawal of the ban on the Awami League and the Chhatra League, the reversal of the International Crimes Tribunal's verdict against Sheikh Hasina, withdrawal of cases against party leaders and activists, and the release of political detainees. The organisation has also demanded the restoration of educational rights for students, including reinstatement of expelled students, academic certificates and access to examinations and residential facilities.

Its other demands include reducing the prices of essential commodities, electricity, gas and fuel; fixing a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000 for garment workers; ending political discrimination in government recruitment; allocating six per cent of GDP to education; and ensuring that educational institutions remain free of violence and communalism.

The shutdown announcement calls for the closure of educational institutions, public transport, including buses, trucks, trains and launches, shops, factories, government and private offices, banks and courts. Emergency services, including ambulances and fire services, as well as media organisations, have been exempted, according to the announcement.

Government warns of action as attacks intensify

Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday warned that those responsible for the explosions and arson attacks would face strict legal action.

Speaking to journalists outside the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka, Ahmed said authorities had noticed attempts by what he described as "fallen forces" to create instability through attacks on buses and other establishments.

"Whoever does it, they are all miscreants," he said, adding that police would take action against those involved. Asked about the shutdown called by the banned Chhatra League, the Home Minister initially questioned who had called it before saying the matter would be looked into.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner for Media and Public Relations Md Akhtar Hossain said police were investigating each incident and had already arrested several people, including members of banned organisations and their affiliated groups. He said intelligence surveillance had been intensified, with additional mobile patrols and police pickets deployed. Investigators are also examining CCTV footage and monitoring the purchase and sale of inflammable substances to identify possible links to the attacks.

Why the Chhatra League remains banned

The shutdown comes against the backdrop of Bangladesh's dramatic political transition following the July-August 2024 student uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule. The Bangladesh Chhatra League was banned by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government on October 23, 2024, under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009. The government cited allegations of violence, torture, murder and attacks on student protesters during Hasina's tenure.

The Awami League subsequently faced a ban on its political activities in May 2025, and the restrictions remain in place under the BNP government that took office following the February 2026 general election. The Chhatra League's latest shutdown call therefore comes from an organisation that is legally prohibited from carrying out its activities. The immediate challenge for the authorities is to prevent further violence and ensure that public transport, educational institutions and essential services can function without disruption on Tuesday. With multiple explosions and vehicle arson incidents already reported, security agencies are on alert. Whether the shutdown call translates into widespread disruption across Bangladesh remains to be seen.