VIOLENCE broke out in the capital of Bangladesh today as hundreds of student protesters and political activists clashed with supporters of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and pipes, the activists attacked the supporters, preventing them from reaching the former home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ms Hasina’s father and assassinated independence leader, in Dhaka.

The house, now the Bangabandhu (“friend of Bengal”) Memorial Museum, in the Dhanmondi area, was set on fire by protesters hours after Ms Hasina’s downfall on August 5, which followed an uprising during which more than 300 people were killed.

Today marked the anniversary of Mr Rahman’s death and Ms Hasina, now self-exiled in India, had urged supporters to pay their respects.

The protesters attacked Ms Hasina’s supporters who attempted to get to the site. They manhandled many, checked visitors’ phones and identity cards and threatened journalists filming at the scene, witnesses said.

Protesters first arrived on Wednesday, disrupting a candlelit vigil  with a noisy overnight party.

Sarjis Alam, a key organiser of the student protests, said today that they would continue to demand the trial of Ms Hasina as he led a rally in the Shahbagh area of Dhaka.