Ex-Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib’s home petrol-bombed in Hasina fallout
Former Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan's ancestral home in Magura was attacked with petrol bombs, causing a fire on the upper floor. The attack occurred hours after Shakib participated in a virtual event where ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pledged to return to Bangladesh despite facing a death sentence.
The residence of Shakib Al Hasan, a former Bangladesh cricket captain and Awami League lawmaker, came under attack on Wednesday in Magura town, approximately 170 kilometres southwest of Dhaka. According to police reports, a group of individuals hurled petrol bombs at the property and smashed windows, igniting a fire on the upper floor. The house was unoccupied at the time, and no casualties were reported.
The attack followed Shakib's participation in a virtual media event organised by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in New Delhi. At that event, Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Prime Minister, made her first public media appearance since her removal from power in 2024. Hasina, who has been sentenced to death in absentia, stated her intention to return to Bangladesh despite the risks she faces.
Shakib has remained outside Bangladesh since the student-led uprising that toppled Hasina's government. He currently faces multiple investigations related to allegations including murder, embezzlement, fraud, and money laundering. Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Hasina's media appearance, characterising it as damaging to national sovereignty and warning of potential harm to bilateral relations with India, where Hasina has been residing since August 2024.
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