 "Sarees, fish & Dior suitcase: The looting spree at Sheikh Hasina's house")
When kingdoms crumble, the palace gates often swing wide open. And when rulers flee, the people rush in. This was the scene in Dhaka, where protesters flooded into Ganabhaban, the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s residence, after Sheikh Hasina stepped down and left the country amidst demonstrations.
Bangladesh is not alone in this. History has seen similar scenes in Sri Lanka, Iraq, and Afghanistan when regimes fell, and the commoners claimed their leaders’ lavish abodes. On Monday, the people of Dhaka added their chapter to this story, storming Hasina’s residence as a triumphant assertion of their newfound power.
One viral video captured the spirit of the moment perfectly: a man lounging on a bed in the Prime Minister’s house, casually chatting with onlookers. “Gonobhobon is under our control,” he declared, reclining like he owned the place.
Looters were also seen making off with everything from television sets to kitchen appliances. The kitchens were ransacked, with protesters feasting on fish and biryani, while others ran off with goats and even ducks. A massive replica of a fish, likely a Hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, became an impromptu souvenir, making its way across social media.
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But the looting didn’t stop at food and furniture. Protesters raided Hasina’s personal belongings, too, with some walking off with her sarees and a Dior suitcase. One of the more bizarre images was of a looter posing with female lingerie found in the residence, adding a twist to the chaotic scene.
This isn’t the first time a leader’s residence has turned into a playground for the people. In 2022, Sri Lankan protesters took over President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s palace after he fled the country. The grand residence, complete with a large dining room, plush lounges, and even a private swimming pool, became the stage for people’s carnival. Videos showed protesters lounging on the President’s bed, waving the Presidential flag, and even taking a dip in the pool.
Iraq and Afghanistan have seen similar scenes. In 2022, protesters in Baghdad stormed the presidential palace after Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr announced he was quitting politics. The palace’s pool became a makeshift retreat for the victorious crowd, even as deadly clashes with security forces continued outside.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of the Presidential palace in Kabul was more subdued but no less symbolic. Armed Taliban fighters were seen sitting in the chair of President Ashraf Ghani, who had fled the country. They wandered the palace halls, even giving tours to journalists, a chilling display of their new authority.