Protesters in Bangladesh have destroyed and set fire to the former family home of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as well as the homes of other members of her party.

The unrest was sparked by a report on social media that Hasina was addressing the country from exile in India, where she was ousted in a student-led uprising last year.

Hasina, 77, who has been in charge of Bangladesh for 20 years, is seen as a dictator whose government has ruthlessly cracked down on dissent.

On Wednesday evening, an excavator demolished the house of Hasina’s late father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh. The structure had been rebuilt as a museum.

While Hasina’s father is widely regarded as a freedom hero, the anger towards his daughter has tarnished his legacy among Hasina’s critics.

In a Facebook live stream, Hasina condemned the attack on her father’s former home and called for “justice.”

“They can demolish a building but they cannot erase history,” she said.

Although Hasina fled to India last August, anger towards her and members of her Awami League party has not subsided. More than 200 people died last year when Hasina’s government tried to suppress protests.

On Wednesday, protesters vandalized and set fire to the homes and businesses of senior Awami League leaders. There have been calls on social media for the country to remove “fascist shrines” from the country.

Police told the BBC’s Bengali service that about 700 protesters had gathered at the house on Wednesday night, and dozens of police officers had been deployed.

Since Hasina was ousted, a caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has ruled the country.

Yunus has pledged to hold elections in late 2025 or early 2026.