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During the protests, Ahmed Rajib Haider, a blogger who was accused of writing anti-Islamic posts,<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/world-news/four-killed-in-blasphemous-bloggers-riot/story-fndir2ev-1226583945159 Four killed in 'blasphemous bloggers' riot in Bangaldesh] News.com.au. February 23, 2013. Retrieved on March 14, 2013.</ref> and who was critical of Jamaat-e-Islami, was killed.<ref name=blogger_killed-1>{{cite news|title=Shahbagh blogger killed in Pallabi|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=44790|accessdate=15 February 2013|newspaper=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|date=Friday, February 15, 2013}}</ref><ref name=Blogger_killed-2>{{cite news|title=Shahbagh protest to go relentless|url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/02/15/shahbagh-protest-to-go-relentless|accessdate=15 February 2013|newspaper=bdnews24.com|date=Friday, February 15, 2013}}</ref> On March 2, five Jamaat-Shibir ([[Bangladesh_Jamaat-e-Islami#Bangladesh_Islami_Chhatra_Shibir|Shibir]] being the student wing of Jamaat) activists were arrested who confessed connection to the killing of the blogger Rajib.<ref name=timesOfIndia-nsuArrest>{{cite news|title=Four more killed in Bangladesh; 57 dead since January|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Four-more-killed-in-Bangladesh-57-dead-since-January/articleshow/18769122.cms|accessdate=2 March 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=2 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=dailyStar-nsuArrest>{{cite news|title=Shibir man behind blogger killing|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=45126|accessdate=2 March 2013|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=2 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=banglaNews-nsuArrest>{{cite web|title=5 detainees admit Shibir man behind Rajib murder|url=http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=5876221c2bec11337e186aac8aa3100d&nttl=0203201365018|work=banglanews24|accessdate=2 March 2013}}</ref>
During the protests, Ahmed Rajib Haider, a blogger who was accused of writing anti-Islamic posts,<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/world-news/four-killed-in-blasphemous-bloggers-riot/story-fndir2ev-1226583945159 Four killed in 'blasphemous bloggers' riot in Bangaldesh] News.com.au. February 23, 2013. Retrieved on March 14, 2013.</ref> and who was critical of Jamaat-e-Islami, was killed.<ref name=blogger_killed-1>{{cite news|title=Shahbagh blogger killed in Pallabi|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=44790|accessdate=15 February 2013|newspaper=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|date=Friday, February 15, 2013}}</ref><ref name=Blogger_killed-2>{{cite news|title=Shahbagh protest to go relentless|url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/02/15/shahbagh-protest-to-go-relentless|accessdate=15 February 2013|newspaper=bdnews24.com|date=Friday, February 15, 2013}}</ref> On March 2, five Jamaat-Shibir ([[Bangladesh_Jamaat-e-Islami#Bangladesh_Islami_Chhatra_Shibir|Shibir]] being the student wing of Jamaat) activists were arrested who confessed connection to the killing of the blogger Rajib.<ref name=timesOfIndia-nsuArrest>{{cite news|title=Four more killed in Bangladesh; 57 dead since January|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Four-more-killed-in-Bangladesh-57-dead-since-January/articleshow/18769122.cms|accessdate=2 March 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=2 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=dailyStar-nsuArrest>{{cite news|title=Shibir man behind blogger killing|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=45126|accessdate=2 March 2013|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=2 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=banglaNews-nsuArrest>{{cite web|title=5 detainees admit Shibir man behind Rajib murder|url=http://www.banglanews24.com/English/detailsnews.php?nssl=5876221c2bec11337e186aac8aa3100d&nttl=0203201365018|work=banglanews24|accessdate=2 March 2013}}</ref>


On February 27, 2013 the tribunal convicted [[Delwar Hossain Sayeedi]], also of Jamaat, of war crimes and sentenced him to death. Critics of the tribunal allege the trial was not fair,<ref name=bangver>{{cite web|title=Bangladesh Verdict Sparks Fatal Riots|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324662404578331551252055288.html|publisher=WSJ.com|accessdate=13 March 2013}}</ref> and that the tribunal rejected appeal for retrial.<ref name=bangver/> Members of Jamaat and its student wing ''Islami Chatra Shibir'' (ICS) launched [[2013 Bangladesh riots|violent protests]] against the sentences, attacking police and journalists, smashing public vehicles and setting off Molotov cocktails. This resulted in the deaths of about 60 people, most of them Jamaat-Shibir activists, along with police and civilians.<ref name=BBC16 />
On February 27, 2013 the tribunal convicted [[Delwar Hossain Sayeedi]], also of Jamaat, of war crimes and sentenced him to death. Critics of the tribunal allege the trial was not fair,<ref name=bangver>{{cite web|title=Bangladesh Verdict Sparks Fatal Riots|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324662404578331551252055288.html|publisher=WSJ.com|accessdate=13 March 2013}}</ref> and that the tribunal rejected appeal for retrial.<ref name=bangver/> Members of Jamaat and its student wing ''Islami Chatra Shibir'' (ICS) launched [[2013 Bangladesh riots|violent protests]] against the sentences, attacking police, minorities and journalists, smashing public vehicles and setting off Molotov cocktails.<ref name=BBC_News_minorities1>{{cite news|title=Bangladesh minorities 'terrorised' after mob violence|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21712655|accessdate=March 26, 2013|newspaper=BBC News Asia|date=March 8, 2013}}</ref><ref name=BBC_News_minorities2>{{cite news|title=Attacks on Bangladesh minority communities 'continue|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21711785|accessdate=March 26, 2013|newspaper=BBC News|date=March 8, 2013}}</ref><ref name=bdnews_jamaat_violence1>{{cite news|title=Jamaat unleashes violence, 35 killed|url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/02/28/35-killed-in-jamaat-police-clashes|accessdate=March 26, 2013|newspaper=Bdnews24.com|date=February 28, 2013}}</ref> This resulted in the deaths of about 60 people, most of them Jamaat-Shibir activists, along with police and civilians.<ref name=BBC16 />


==Historical context==
==Historical context==

Revision as of 20:28, 26 March 2013

2013 Shahbag protests
Demonstrators in Shahbag in February 2013
Date5 February 2013 (2013-02-05) – ongoing
(11 years, 10 months and 1 week)
Location
Bangladesh (started at Shahbagh Square, Dhaka)

23°44′18″N 90°23′45″E / 23.73833°N 90.39583°E / 23.73833; 90.39583
Caused by
Methods

The 2013 Shahbag protests, associated with the Shahbag neighborhood of Dhaka, Bangladesh, began on February 5, 2013, and later spread to other parts of Bangladesh, demanding capital punishment for Abdul Quader Mollah and others convicted of crimes against humanity during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.[5][6] On that day, the International Crimes Tribunal had sentenced Abdul Quader Mollah to life in prison after he was convicted on five of six counts of war crimes.[7][8] Later the demands widened to ban the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party from politics, as its leaders have been convicted of genocide and war crimes, and to boycott institutions supporting or affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami.[9]

The sentence led to widespread discontent, as protesters called it lenient. Critics started protests and demonstrations at Shahbag intersection in central Dhaka, where they demanded the death penalty for Molla and the deradicalisation of politics.[10][11] Bloggers and online activists called for further mass demonstration at Shahbag intersection.[12][13] Thousands of people joined the demonstration, and the demonstration has given rise to the 2013 Shahbag protests.[14]

Since the start of protests, tens of thousands of people have been holding day-and-night vigils at Shahbag. They say they refuse to leave until all those convicted of war crimes are sentenced to capital punishment.[15] A counter protest, demanding release of the convicted and accused persons, was launched by Jamaat-e-Islami, as most of the accused were their political leaders. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had initially expressed its support for Jamaat-e-Islami, a principal political ally.[16] However, the BNP later cautiously welcomed the Shahbag Protest, warning that the government should not be allowed to draw political mileage from the movement that is demanding capital punishment for war criminals.[17]

During the protests, Ahmed Rajib Haider, a blogger who was accused of writing anti-Islamic posts,[18] and who was critical of Jamaat-e-Islami, was killed.[19][20] On March 2, five Jamaat-Shibir (Shibir being the student wing of Jamaat) activists were arrested who confessed connection to the killing of the blogger Rajib.[21][22][23]

On February 27, 2013 the tribunal convicted Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, also of Jamaat, of war crimes and sentenced him to death. Critics of the tribunal allege the trial was not fair,[24] and that the tribunal rejected appeal for retrial.[24] Members of Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chatra Shibir (ICS) launched violent protests against the sentences, attacking police, minorities and journalists, smashing public vehicles and setting off Molotov cocktails.[25][26][27] This resulted in the deaths of about 60 people, most of them Jamaat-Shibir activists, along with police and civilians.[28]

Historical context

See also: 1971 Bangladesh atrocities and Razakars (Bangladesh)

In 1971 Bangladesh was a part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and was called "East Pakistan," as its easternmost province. In the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, East Pakistan fought against West Pakistan for nine months. During this period, in addition to providing guerrilla training to the freedom fighters, popularly known as Mukti Bahini, India joined the war on December 3, 1971 in support of East Pakistan. Armed conflict ended on December 16, 1971 and resulted in the formation of The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh as a free, secular and independent state.

According to a Nixon administration telegram between United States officials, many atrocities had been committed by the West Pakistan army and their supporters.[29][30][31] Time reported a high-ranking U.S. official as saying, "It is the most incredible, calculated killing since the days of the Nazis in Poland."[32] Estimates are that one to three million people were killed, nearly a quarter of a million women were raped, and more than 10 million people fled to India for refuge to escape persecution.[33][34]

A paramilitary force called Razakars was created during the struggle under the Razakar Ordinance promulgated in May 1971 by the Governor of East Pakistan, Lieutenant General Tikka Khan. The Ordinance stipulated the creation of a voluntary force to be trained and equipped by the Provincial Government.[35] The term razakar (Template:Lang-bn) comes from رضاکار razākār, the Urdu word for "volunteer". However, the word became a derogatory term in the Bengali language due to the violence and atrocities committed by the paramilitary force during the war. The perpetrators of the crimes were never brought to trial, as Bangladesh needed to bargain with Pakistan for the return of 200,000 Bengalis stranded in Pakistan at the end of the war.[36]

The majority of East Pakistanis supported the call to create a free and independent Bangladesh during the Liberation War. But a small number of pro-Pakistanis, as well as members of a number of different fundamentalist political parties, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) and its student wing Islami Chatra Sangha (ICS, Template:Lang-bn Islami Chhatro Shônggho), Muslim League, Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) Council Muslim League, Nejam-e-Islami joined and collaborated with the Pakistani army to resist the formation of independent Bangladesh. The students belonging to Islami Chatra Sangha were called the Al-Badr force, the people belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League, Nizam-e-Islami, etc. were called Al-Shams and the Urdu-speaking people, generally known as Bihari, were called Al-Mujahid.[36]

Post-war trials

See also: 1971 Bangladesh atrocities § War crimes trial attempts

The Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order 1972 was promulgated to prosecute those Bangladeshis who collaborated with and aided the Pakistan Armed forces during the Liberation War of 1971.[37] Conflicting accounts of the number of persons brought to trial under the 1972 Collaborators Order have estimates ranging between 10,000 and 40,000.[38] At the time, the trials were considered suspect by local and external observers, as they appear to have been used for carrying out political vendettas. R. MacLennan, a British MP who was an observer at the trials, said,

"In the dock, the defendants are scarcely more pitiable than the succession of confused prosecution witnesses driven (by the 88-year old defence counsel) to admit that they, too, served the Pakistan government but are now ready to swear blind that their real loyalty was to the government of Bangladesh in exile."[39]

The Bangladeshi government issued a general amnesty on November 30, 1973, applying to all persons except those who were punished or accused of rape, murder, attempted murder, or arson.[38] The Collaborators Order 1972 was revoked in 1975. One of the reasons for refraining from more extended trials was that Bangladesh was trying to arrange the return of nearly 200,000 Bangladeshis stranded in Pakistan.

The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 was promulgated to prosecute any persons, irrespective of nationality, accused of committing crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, war crimes, "violations of any humanitarian rules applicable in armed conflicts laid out in the Geneva Conventions of 1949" and "any other crimes under international law".[40] Detainees held under the 1972 Collaborators order, who were not released by the general amnesty of 1973, were going to be tried under this Act. However, no trials were held. All activities related to the Act ceased after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975 and assumption of power by a military government.

There are no known instances of criminal investigations or trials outside Bangladesh of alleged perpetrators of war crimes during the 1971 war. Initial steps were taken by the Greater London Metropolitan Police to investigate individuals resident in the United Kingdom who were alleged to have committed war crimes, as shown in a Channel 4 documentary film aired in 1995. To date, no charges have been brought against these individuals.[41]

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of 2010

Old High Court Building (Dhaka) where the tribunal is taking place.
See also: International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) and International Crimes Tribunal Timeline

In the 21st century, there was a rising demand for justice related to the war crimes of the 1971 struggle. The issue became central to the 2008 general election.[42][43] The Awami League-led 14-party alliance included this in their election manifesto.[44] The four-party alliance including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, had several leaders who were alleged to have committed war crimes.[45] The freedom fighters and sector commanders of the liberation war pleaded with the public not to cast votes for the alleged war criminals.[46]

The 14-party alliance won the election, held on December 29, 2008, with a two-thirds majority, based on their promise to prosecute alleged war criminals.[47][48][49] On 29 January 2009 Mahmud-us-Samad Chowdhury, a member of the parliament (MP) from Awami League (AL), proposed a resolution to prosecute war criminals. It was passed unanimously.[50] The government intended to use the 1973 law, the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act. [51] It provided "the substantive law, definition of crimes, procedures to follow, provisions of evidence, constitution of the Tribunal, obligation of the Judges to be independent and to ensure fair trial standards, including the rights of the accused, rules to monitor investigations and interrogations, supervising arrest and viability of continued detention, rules to protect the witnesses and victims, rules regarding appeal after conviction, and the rule making authority of the judges etc."[52]

The government intended to amend the law to bring it up to date and to incorporate other nations' experience.[53][54] The government sent the Act to the Law Commission, where it was scrutinised by specialist lawyers, judges and professors of universities.[54][55] According to the recommendations made by the Law Commission, the ICT Act 1973 was amended on 9 July 2009.[56] The amendments provided for the trial of a political party that had worked against the liberation of Bangladesh, in addition to individuals. Also, the government was empowered to file appeals of tribunal decisions with the Appellate Division.[56]

On the eve of the 39th anniversary of Operation Searchlight, the massacre committed by the Pakistani army,[57] the Awami-led government announced on March 25, 2010 the formation of a 3-member tribunal, 7-member investigation agency, and 12-member prosecution team to hold the trials under the ICT Act 1973.[44][58]

The appointed panel of three judges included Fazle Kabir and Zahir Ahmed, with Mohammed Nizamul Huq as chairman.[59]

Abdul Matin, Abdur Rahim, Kutubur Rahman, ASM Shamsul Arefin, Mir Shahidul Islam, Nurul Islam and M. Abdur Razzak Khan were appointed to assist the state prosecutors.[60]

Golam Arif Tipu was named as the Chief Prosecutor. The others are Syed Rezaur Rahman, Golam Hasnayen, Rana Das Gupta, Zahirul Huq, Nurul Islam Sujan, Syed Haider Ali, Khandaker Abdul Mannan, Mosharraf Hossain Kajal, Ziad Al-Malum, Sanjida Khanom and Sultan Mahmud Semon.[60]

Verdicts from Tribunal

A formal charge was filed by the prosecution against Abdul Quader Mollah on 18 December 2011.[61] He was charged with:[61]

  • Pallab murder
  • Killing pro-liberation poet Meherunnesa, her mother and two brothers
  • Khandoker Abu Taleb killing
  • Ghatar Char and Bhawal Khan Bari killing
  • Alubdi mass killing (344 people)
  • Killing and rape of Hazrat Ali and his family members.

On 5 February 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal found Mollah guilty of crimes against humanity.[7][62] He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the Alubdi and Ali killings, and 15 years each for the Pallab, Meherunnesa, and Taleb murders.[61]

The day before the verdict was announced, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the Islamist political party of which Mollah is a leader, announced a countrywide dawn-to-dusk general strike for 5 February, in protest of their leader's trial.[63][64]

Other citizens were outraged that Mollah was sentenced to life imprisonment, rather than death.[10][11] Following the verdict, people used social media to criticise it. A peaceful demonstration began at Shahbag intersection in Dhaka.[65]

Demands of the protests

Protesters at Shahbag demanded the following:

Oath of Shahbag Square movement

"We swear an oath that the leadership of the mass of people from the Gonojagaran Mancha (National Awakening Stage) will continue the movement from Teknaf to Tetulia until capital punishment is handed down to those Razakar and Al-Badr members who committed crimes against humanity like mass killing and rape in 1971. We take the oath that we will remain vocal, both on the streets and online, until the politics of the war criminals, Jamaat and Shibir, is banned and the citizenship of their members cancelled. We further take the oath that we will continue this demonstration and keep demanding trials, under a special tribunal, of those Razakars and Al-Badr activists who were convicted, and under trial, but freed after 1975. We swear that we will boycott the war criminals' business entities -- Islami Bank, Ibn Sina, Focus, Retina and various other coaching centres. We know through these they collect money to continue with their anti-liberation activities. We will also boycott the academic and cultural organisations through which they are spreading anti-liberation sentiments among the children. In brief, we will work for banning all the business, social and cultural organisations belonging to Razakars and Al-Badr activists. We swear that we will continue with our demand for stringent punishment of Jamaat and Shibir, who have committed crimes of sedition by threatening civil war, after making their immediate arrest by recognising them through video footage of news and newspaper pictures. We swear that we will boycott war criminals' mass media like Diganta Television, Daily Naya Diganta, Amar Desh, The Daily Sangram, Sonar Bangla Blog. We will not subscribe to the newspapers of the war criminals at any office or house. At the same time, we request the pro-liberation mass media to boycott the war criminals and their accomplices."[72]

Development of protest

See also: Timeline of the 2013 Shahbag protests

Protests start

Protests started within hours after the Mollah verdict was announced when an online activist group, Blogger and Online Activists Network (BOAN), called for protests through social networks.[73] Demonstrators gathered at Shahbag Circle or Projonmo Chottor and painted murals on the road, drew cartoons, hanged effigies of war crime suspects, and chanted slogans, with a vow to continue demonstrating until their demands were met.

Protesters at Shahbag Square

On 7 February, demonstrations started at 8 am. Thousands of people gathered carrying banners, posters, Bangladeshi flags and placards in Shahbag with the same demands.[74] On Friday afternoon, a mass rally was held at Shahbag. It is estimated that more than a hundred thousand people attended the rally. The renowned Bangladeshi author, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, addressed the rally, praising the young generation for revitalising the spirit of 1971 Bangladeshi independence and apologizing for having underestimated their ability to mobilize and to contribute to society.[75]

On 12 February, protesters observed a 3-minute silence from 4:00pm to 4:03pm at Shahbag and all across Bangladesh.[76] In Dhaka, traffic was stopped as thousands of people took to the streets, formed human chains, and stood in silence. A Bangladesh Premier League game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium halted for three minutes as the players and the supporters observed the silence. The parliamentarians and the police force also joined the protest.[77] The popular Bengali singer Kabir Suman wrote a song titled "Tin Minit (Three Minutes)" to honor the silent protest.[78][79]

Further developments

On 21 February, the International Mother Language Day, the number of people protesting reached a new high. The leadership of the protest declared 26 March 2013, the Independence Day of Bangladesh, as the deadline for the government to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from politics.[80]

Sentencing of Delwar Hossain Sayeedi

See also: 2013 Bangladesh riots and 2013 Bangladesh Anti-Hindu violence

On 28 February, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Nayeb-e-Ameer or the Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami,[81] to death for 8 out of 20 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.[82] The decision lead to celebration by protesters.[83] "This verdict is a victory for the people," declared protest organizer Imran H. Sarker.[83] Attorney General Mahbubey Alam remarked "It’s a victory day, it’s a day of joy. Through this verdict, the nation is seeing the resurgence of liberation war spirits."[84] Sayeedi became the most senior official convicted by the Tribunal and third person overall.[85]

Counter protests

Jamaat followers were enraged by the decision, claiming the case against Sayeedi was politically motivated. Sayeedi's lawyer, Abdur Razzaq, accused authorities of preventing a key witness to testify and intentionally biasing the process.[83] "This is a perverse judgment. It is inconceivable that a court of law awarded him a conviction. This prosecution was for a political purpose," he said.[83] Jamaat quickly called for a nationwide two-day strike to start 3 March.[84] By afternoon violence led by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters had erupted across Bangladesh.[83] "The Jamaat-e-Islami is fighting for its political survival," said a spokesperson.[84] By the end of day, 35 people were dead, including three police officers.[84] An additional 800 people were injured.[84] According the BBC, it marked "the worst day of political violence in Bangladesh in decades".[85]

Clashes between police and Jamaat-e-Islami party workers continued on 1 March, spreading to the northern districts of Gaibandha and Chapai Nawabganj.[85] The opposition leader Khaleda Zia criticized government "brutality," and Jamaat called for a demonstration in the capital Dhaka. Security measures were increased to prevent any serious incident.[85] The death toll rose to 44, including six policemen.[83] Former Prime Minister and BNP member Khaleda Zia declared a nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal for 5 March. She called for countrywide rallies on 2 March to protest what she called government corruption, misrule, oppression, and "mass killings".[86]

Violent conflict continued on 2 March, with another four deaths and hundreds of injuries.[86] In Chittangong district, police opened fire on Jamaat-e-Islami protesters, leading to three deaths.[86] In Nilphamari, a young person died when protestors and police clashed.[86]

On 3 March, violence continued as the Jamaat-organized strike began. In Bogra, Jamaat supporters attacked police outposts with sticks and homemade bombs, leading to at least eight deaths.[28] In Godagari, two deaths were reported in a similar incident.[28] Three deaths were reported in the Joypurhat district.[28] Violent conflict continued in Chittangong as well, where Jamaat-e-Islami claimed the police opened fire without provocation. The government denied the charge, saying violence against citizens and police would not be tolerated. Three deaths were reported.[28] "People in the street are very, very afraid of Jamaat-e-Islam. I am scared," reported an eyewitness in Dhaka.[28] Jamaat supporters singled out minority Hindu citizens, and attacked their residences in many parts of the country, and also torched Hindu temples at some places, as they have in previous times of unrest, including the 1971 war.[87][88][89][90]

More than 40 temples were burned to ashes, idols destroyed, and scores of houses set on fire, leaving hundreds of people homeless during the attacks for weeks all over Bangladesh. Amnesty International has urged Bangladesh government to provide minority Hindus with better protection. Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Bangladesh Researcher, has noted that the attacks on Hindu community was predicted and it was shocking that people are being attacked just because of their religion.[91][92]

Reactions

Domestic responses

Protest in Chittagong, in front of Chittagong Press Club

The Shahbag protest has attracted people of all social strata to its cause.[6] The Shahbag intersection at the center of the protests has been referred to as "Generation Circle" (Template:Lang-bn Projônmo Chôttor), or "Shahbag Square", in a nod to the events which unfolded in Tahrir Square, Egypt.[1] The protest spread from Shahbag to other parts of the country, with sit-ins and demonstrations taking place in Chittagong, Sylhet, Barisal, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Comilla, Bogra, Narayanganj, Sunamganj, Noakhali, and Narsingdi.[93][94][95][96]

Shahbagh protest participant Amiruddin Ahmed remarked, “After coming here I have realised that the national flag is secure at the hands of our children." Members of the 1971 "Golden Generation" found fresh inspiration in Projônmo Chôttor.[97] The writer Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, noting the large youth participation, said, "I am here to offer my apology to you. I wrote in newspapers that the new generation only hits 'Like' on Facebook and writes on blogs, but does not take to the streets. You have proved me wrong and I thank you all for this".[98][99] Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique said, "Today is a movement to make the country free from razakars. The country needs to be freed from razakars’ hands. Capital punishment of the razakars is a demand of the country’s 16 crore people."[100] Jahangirnagar University Vice Chancellor M. Anwar Hossain said, “The people of Bangladesh have rejected the verdict. At Projonmo Chottor, we join our hands to make a clear statement, to give a call to all countrymen to unite and oust the anti-liberation forces from the soil.”[100] State Minister for Law, Quamrul Islam said that the verdict against Abdul Quader Mollah could have been different if people took to the streets before the verdict.[101]

Political party response to protests

The Bangladesh Awami League was disappointed with the Mollah verdict. But, the Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the government would fulfill its election pledges by trying all alleged war criminals.[102] The government is planning to file appeals with the Supreme Court contesting the verdict.[103] On 11 February 11, 2013 the Cabinet approved proposed amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 to introduce a provision for plaintiffs to appeal to the apex court against verdicts delivered by the Tribunal. This amendment, if passed, would enable the state to appeal against the life sentence of Mollah.[104]

Jamaat-e-Islami, who were already staging protests against the impending trial of their leaders, called for a strike action.[105] Jamaat continues to demand that the International War Crimes trial be scrapped and that their party leaders be freed. Previously, Jamaat supporters carried out demonstration nationwide, with increasing frequency from November 2012 to February 2013, demanding the release of their leaders.[106][107] Such acts included firing gun shots, smashing and setting fire to hundreds of vehicles, and exploding homemade bombs.[108][109][110][111] The violence was targeted at the police forces stationed in the capital Dhaka and major cities such as Rajshahi,[111] Cox's Bazar,[112] Chittagong,[113] Rangpur,[114] Dinajpur,[115] and Khulna.[116][117] Several Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested during the strikes and confrontation with the police.[116][113]

Reactions of Bangladeshis living abroad

Supporting Shahbag Protest at Stuttgart

Bangladeshis living abroad have expressed solidarity with the protestors through the social media websites Facebook and Twitter.[65] In addition, solidarity demonstrations took place in Australia,[118] Malaysia,[119] Germany[120] and the United States.

Bangladeshis living in New York City joined in a symbolic protest on 9 February 9 at Diversity Plaza, Jackson Heights.[121] A mass sit-in demonstration was arranged by the Bangladeshi Community of Sydney, Australia in front of the International Mother Language Monument in Sydney Ashfield Park on February 10, 2013.[122] In another gathering at the Angel Statue of Melbourne, the demonstrators signed a petition to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, asking for the death penalty for the alleged war criminals.[123] Bangladeshi living in Taiwan also expressed their solidarity with the Shahbag protest on 10 February.[citation needed]

On 10 February 10, Bangladeshi students and professionals gathered at the Rutgers University campus in New Jersey to express solidarity with the Shahbag protest. Other Bangladeshi residents joined the university students to express their support.[citation needed] Bangladeshi students of University of Delaware and people nearby demonstrated their solidarity with Shahbag movement on 15 February in Newark, Delaware. They drew people's attention by standing at a busy intersection during the day. Later in the evening, they held a candlelight vigil wearing black ribbons for Rajib, a blogger and activist who was killed a few hours before the gathering.[124]

In London, United Kingdom, the protesters who were gathered at Altab Ali Park showing solidarity Shahbag were attacked by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters at Altab Ali Park. Protests are held at the park every week by both sides.[125]

International response

On February 18, the British foreign office minister, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, hailed the ongoing Shahbagh Square protest. She described it as peaceful, productive and non-violent, unlike other protests in Bangladesh.[126][127] Article in the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs by Professor Suzannah Linton on 27 February 2013 expressed concern about the ‘bloodlust in Bangladesh’ and called on the international community to take a strong response to steer the process towards international standards</ref> See url = http://www.fletcherforum.org/2013/02/27/linton/</ref>.

Media coverage

Domestic media

While most media outlets followed the protests from the start, some pro-Jamaat-e-Islami news outlets reported the movement as being some kind of "well-orchestrated play made by the government."[citation needed] In Sreemangal, Moulvibazar cable operators have stopped broadcasting pro-Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami television channel Diganta Television, to show solidarity to the protests.[128]

International media

Protesters showing placard addressing the foreign media

BBC,[129] CNN,[130] Yahoo! News,[131] Reuters,[93] Al Jazeera,[132] The New York Times,[133] The Independent[134] and others have published news about the protests. The Bangla version of BBC has been closely following the events.[135][136] Reuters photographer Andrew Biraj published "live" photos.[where?][citation needed]

Facebook

Facebook, being the most popular social networking site in Bangladesh, has played an important role in Shahbag protest spreading the news worldwide about the progress of events happening at Shahbag.[citation needed] A Facebook event was created calling for the protest at Shahbag by making a human chain which went viral on 5 February 2013 through the social networking site.[137] After that facebook becomes the media to gather and also tell the people about any events taken by shahbag protestors.

Twitter

People from Bangladesh used Twitter hashtag #shahbag to provide live update of the movement.[138][139]

Outcome

The demonstration put pressure on the government to amend the International Crimes Tribunal Act so that convicted "can be swiftly executed if convicted".[140] The cabinet also set a 60-day limit for the Supreme Court's Appellate Division to dispose of appeals, in order to keep the cases moving. This means that men who have been convicted and sentenced to death could be executed this year if the cases survive appeal.[140]

Also in response to popular protests, Abdul Latif Siddiqui, the Jute and Textiles Minister, said on 12 February 2013, that a bill is being drafted to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from Bangladeshi politics.[141]

Photos of solidarity in Bangladesh
  • Protesters in Shahbag
    Protesters in Shahbag
  • Placards representing the demands
    Placards representing the demands
  • Protest by lighting candles
    Protest by lighting candles
  • Raising shoes to convey shame and hatred
    Raising shoes to convey shame and hatred
Photos of solidarity outside Bangladesh

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2013 Shahbag Protest.

References

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