On the Ball: Recorded Future Calling Out Violent Demonstrations in Dhaka – Before They Happened

At least 36 people were killed between May 5-6 in the latest bout of violence to hit the protest-stricken streets of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. But what sparked this uptick in violence amidst the ongoing protests in Dhaka? Recorded Future made sense of this otherwise unsensible situation before it even happened.

Two precipitating events highlighted by Recorded Future provide context:

• April 24: A building collapse at Tazreen Factory on the outskirts of Dhaka kills over 600 people. Outrage over the disaster leads to more people taking to the streets, those protesting the factory owners merging with those protesting the results of a tribunal on January 21.
• May 1: Protests swell with the annual demonstrations on International Workers’ Day, which are noticeably more aggressive than in past years.

But there is more.

On April 11, a member of Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest islamist organization, was shot dead by security forces while protesting during the fourth day of a nationwide strike. This shooting helped set off a drumbeat of protests, heavily influenced by Islamist elements.  Recorded Future called out this event when it happened.

In fact, Hefezat-e-Islam, an Islamist organization backed by Jamaat-e-Islami, organized the demonstrations on May 5 that pit them against the security forces. And with the deaths, more martyrs are born – and more protests are expected. As always, Recorded Future is and will continue to be on the ball.