1971 war crimes: Dozens dead in BD over JI leader’s conviction

At least 23 people were shot in clashes between policemen and protesters.

DHAKA:

At least 34 people were killed in the violence that erupted after  court in Dhaka sentenced a Delwar Hossain Sayedee, vice-president of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) party, to death on Thursday for war crimes during the 1971 war with Pakistan.

At least 23 of them were shot in clashes between police and protesters following the verdict.

Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali said Sayedee was sentenced to death by hanging after he was found guilty of eight charges including murder, arson, rape and forceful conversion of Hindus to Islam.

He is the third defendant to be convicted since Sheikh Hasina’s government proposed a tribunal whose previous verdicts have also been met with outrage from those who say the process is more about score settling than delivering justice.

The latest clashes brought the overall death toll to 50 since the first verdict was delivered on January 21.

Two protesters were killed in the northern town of Sirajganj and another two in Mithapukur when police opened fire during clashes with hundreds of protesters, police officials and doctors told AFP.

The violence also was followed by the killing of two police personnel who were beaten up by Jamaat supporters.

“They became violent and attacked us. Police fired back,” police officer Sadrul Islam of Sirajganj told AFP.

Emergency doctor Shariful Islam told AFP two bullet-hit people died and one was injured after clashes between police and protesters at Mithapukur.

At least five people were injured after police fired live rounds at scores of Jamaat protesters in Dhaka where10,000 extra police personnel had been deployed.

Security forces had been braced for trouble ahead of the verdict against Sayedee, who reacted to the judgment by saying it had been influenced by “atheists” and pro-government protesters who have been demanding his execution.

His lawyer, Tajul Islam described the verdict as “a gross miscarriage of justice,” adding that Sayedee did not live in the town where the alleged crimes took place.

“It’s a case of mistaken identity. We’re stunned,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2013.