Bangladesh's Longstanding Issues Surfacing One More Time

Scores have died in Bangladesh after deadly protests seeking justice for war crimes from the 1970s. CNN’s Sumnima Udas reports.

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Motiur Rahman Nizami: Bangladeshi Islamist leader hanged (BBC, May 10, 2016)
http://bbc.in/1T35pCT

Bangladesh Islamist leader Motiur Rahman Nizami loses final appeal (BBC, May 5, 2016)
http://bbc.in/1VL4YiK

Bangladesh riots death toll hits 45
http://cnn.it/1q1IAnv
“Angry supporters of a Bangladesh Islamist party leader, given the death penalty for a war crimes conviction, continued clashes with police Friday in different districts, pushing the death toll to 45 since demonstrations began, police said … Thirty-seven of the 45 dead were killed Thursday as Jamaat-e-Islami movement supporters clashed with police after the court sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayedee, one of the party’s top leaders, to death. Sayedee, 73, was found guilty of eight counts out of 20 charges involving killings and rapes during the country’s war of independence more than four decades ago and was sentenced to hang.”

Global Hindu Reaction against the Islamic Brutality on Bangladesh Minorities in recent days (WARNING! EXTREMELY GRAPHIC.)
http://hinduexistence.org/2013/03/04/global-hindu-reaction-against-the-islamic-brutality-on-bangladesh-minorities-in-recent-days/

Seeking war crimes justice, Bangladesh protesters fight ‘anti-Islam’ label
http://cnn.it/1ToL8DI
“Every day since early February, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have massed at an intersection in Bangladesh’s bustling capital city. But unlike the Tahrir Square and Occupy Wall Street movements, they’re not calling for the overthrow of the government or greater economic equality. The rallies, led by youths and fueled by social media, are demanding the death penalty for those who took part in war crimes during Bangladesh’s bloody battle for independence from Pakistan more than four decades ago … During the nine-month war in 1971, between 1 million and 3 million people were killed, and hundreds of thousands of women were raped. Many of the atrocities were committed by Pakistani forces and their civilian collaborators … In 2010, Bangladesh set up a court that it called the International Crimes Tribunal to finally bring to justice those it accused in the massacre. So far, the court has indicted 10 people. Seven of them are top leaders of Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami. Jamaat acknowledges that it opposed Bangladesh’s struggle for independence. But it has decried what it calls a smear campaign … In January, the court tried its first case and convicted Abul Kalam Azad, an expelled Jamaat member who is at large. Azad was sentenced in absentia to death by hanging. The cleric is believed to be hiding in Pakistan. Another Jamaat leader, former lawmaker Delwar Hossain Sayedee, was found guilty Thursday on eight counts — out of 20 charges — involving killings and rapes, and was sentenced to hang … Angry Jamaat supporters clashed with police in demonstrations against the verdict nationwide, while the party blasted the trial as “politically motivated.””

At least four dead as Bangladesh Islamists battle police
http://cnn.it/24typeb
“At least 4 people were killed Friday as thousands of Islamists took to the streets and clashed with police across Bangladesh including in the capital Dhaka … Police fired bullets and tear gas shells while the rioters exploded a series of hand-made bombs. Demonstrators fought pitched battles with police, demanding punishment of bloggers who they accused of maligning Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. The bloggers, who have had an active role in the ongoing campaign … to ban Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami party and who support the death penalty for those guilty of wartime crimes from more than four decades ago, denied the accusations and said that the Islamist groups were smearing hate campaign against them. Police and witnesses said thousands of people in support of a call given by a coalition of 12 Islamic parties came out of the mosques after Friday’s “juma prayer” and attacked police and journalists.”

Bangladesh moves to ban main Islamic party (dawn, Feb 17, 2013)
http://dawn.com/2013/02/17/bangladesh-moves-to-ban-main-islamic-party/
“Bangladesh’s parliament Sunday amended a law to allow the prosecution of the country’s largest Islamic party Jamaat-i-Islami for war crimes in a move that could pave the way to it being banned. News of the move was greeted by loud cheers from tens of thousands of protesters … who have been demanding a ban on Jamaat, whose leaders are on trial for war crimes allegedly committed in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.”

Anti-Islamist blogger killed in Bangladesh (ahram, Feb 16, 2013)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/64914/World/International/AntiIslamist-blogger-killed-in-Bangladesh.aspx