2013 Shahbag protests


On 5 February 2013, protests began in Shahbag, Bangladesh following demands for capital punishment for Abdul Quader Mollah, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and convicted on five of six counts of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh. Later demands included banning the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party from politics including election and a boycott of institutions supporting the party.
Protesters considered Mollah's sentence too lenient, given his crimes. Bloggers and online activists called for additional protests at Shahbag and joined the demonstration.
Ruling party Awami League and Indian government supported this movement from the first place. However, main opposition party the Bangladesh Nationalist Party initially expressed its support for Jamaat-e-Islami, a political ally. But, the BNP cautiously welcomed the Shahbag protest, while warning the government not to make political mileage from a movement demanding capital punishment for war criminals. A counter-protest, questioning the validity of the tribunal and the protest movement and demanding release of those accused and convicted, was called by Jamaat-e-Islami.
During the protests,blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was killed outside his house. On 1 March, five students of North South University were arrested who 'confessed' involvement in Rajib's killing. From the killing of Haidar, his and his fellow bloggers' writing regarding prophet Muhammad made public by Amaar Desh. Therefore, against those bloggers Hefazat-e-Islam was formed.
On 27 February 2013, the tribunal convicted Delwar Hossain Sayeedi of war crimes and sentenced him to death. Jamaat followers protested and there were violent clashes with police. About 60 people were killed in the confrontations; most were Jamaat-Shibir activists, and others were police and civilians.
This movement were highly criticized in Bangladesh and abroad for giving incited slogans, being politically biased, vandalizing hospitals and education institutes., reviving fascism in Bangladesh, Forcing DU students to join, blocking the hospital road, throwing shoes on corpse etc.

Historical context

In 1971 Bangladesh was the portion of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan known as East Pakistan. In the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, East Pakistan fought West Pakistan for nine months. During this period the Indian Army which provided guerrilla training to Mukti Bahini, joined the war on 3 December 1971 in support of the liberation of East Pakistan. Armed conflict ended on 16 December 1971 through surrender of the Pakistani Armed Forces to India, resulting in the formation of the People's Republic of Bangladesh as an independent state.
According to the famous Blood telegram from the United States consulate in Dhaka to the State Department, many atrocities had been committed by the Pakistan Army and its supporter Razakars and Al-Badar militia. Time reported a high-ranking US official as saying, "It is the most incredible, calculated killing since the days of the Nazis in Poland." Estimates are that one to three million people were killed, nearly a quarter of a million women were raped and more than ten million people fled to India to escape persecution.
A paramilitary force known as the Razakars was created by the May 1971 Razakar Ordinance promulgated by Tikka Khan, the governor of East Pakistan. The ordinance stipulated the creation of a volunteer force, trained and equipped by the provincial government. Razakar comes from رضاکار. However, it became a derogatory term in the Bengali language due to the widespread killings of civilians and atrocities committed by the paramilitary during the war.
The majority of East Pakistanis supported the call to create a free and independent Bangladesh during the Liberation War. However, Pakistani supporters and members of Islamic political parties, particularly Jamaat-e-islami and its east Pakistan student wing Islami Chatra Sangha, the Muslim League, the Pakistan Democratic Party Council and Nejam-e-Islami, collaborated with the Pakistani army to resist the formation of an independent Bangladesh. The students belonging to Islami Chatra Sangha were known as the Al-Badr force; people belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Muslim League, Nizam-e-Islami and similar groups were called Al-Shams, and the Urdu-speaking people were known as Al-Mujahid.

After the Independence

After the independence, Bangladesh government locked up so many Rajakars and defender of Pakistan. However, In November 1973 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman issued general pardon for all people who opposed the independence and helped the Pakistani Army. Eventually the all them got free. But he banned all kinds of Islamic party including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. But after 1975 ban was lifted. Under the Ershad Jamaat-e-Islami participated in 1986 election. They got 10 seat with 4.6% vote. In 1991 election, which was first free and fair election after independence, Jamaat got 18 seats out of 300 and gained 12.2% of vote.
Against Ghulam Azam who was Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, Jahanara Imam organized the Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee, and she become a public face. The committee called for the trial of people who committed crimes against humanity in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistani forces. The Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee set up mock trials in Dhaka on 26 March 1992 known as Gono Adalat and symbolically 'sentenced' persons they accused of being war criminals. Imam and others were reportedly charged with treason during the government of Bangladesh Nationalist party. In 1996 election, Jamaat's public support decreased and they got only 3 seats in that election.
In 2001 Election, BNP with 3 others parties including Jamaat-e-Islami wins the election. Jamaat got 17 seats. From 2001 to 2003, Amir of Jamat-e-Islami Motiur Rahman Nizami served as the Minister of Agriculture, then as the Minister of Industry from 2003 to 2006. And general secretary of Jamaat Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed served the Ministry of Social Welfare between 2001 and 2006.

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of 2010

Since 2000, there has been growing demands in Bangladesh for justice related to war crimes committed during the 1971 struggle; the issue was central to the 2008 general election. The Awami League-led, 14-party Grand Alliance included this issue in its election manifesto. Its rival, four-party alliance had several leaders alleged to have committed war crimes.
The Grand Alliance won the election with a two-thirds majority, based in part on its promise to prosecute alleged war criminals.
On 29 January 2009 the new Parliament unanimously passed a resolution to prosecute war criminals. The government intended to use the 1973 law: the International Crimes Act. The government worked to amend the law, updating it and incorporating in it other nations' experience. The amendments provided the legal basis for the trial of individuals and political parties that had committed war crimes during Bangladesh liberation war. The government was empowered to appeal tribunal decisions.
On 25 March 2010, the Awami-led government announced the formation of a three-member tribunal, a seven-member investigation agency, and a twelve-member prosecution team to conduct the trials under the ICT Act 1973. The panel of three judges included Fazle Kabir and Zahir Ahmed, with Mohammed Nizamul Huq as chairman. Abdul Matin, Abdur Rahim, Kutubur Rahman, Shamsul Arefin, Mir Shahidul Islam, Nurul Islam and M. Abdur Razzak Khan were appointed to assist the state prosecutors. Golam Arif Tipu was named Chief Prosecutor. Others prosecutors were 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.

Verdicts

A formal charge was filed by the prosecution against Abdul Quader Mollah on 18 December 2011. He was charged with:
On 5 February 2013, the ICT found Mollah guilty of crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the Alubdi and Ali killings and 15 years each for the Pallab, Meherunnesa and Taleb murders. The day before the verdict was announced, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, announced a nationwide dawn-to-dusk general strike for 5 February in protest of their leader's conviction.
Many citizens were outraged that, given his crimes, Mollah was sentenced to life imprisonment rather than death. The verdict was criticised in social media, and a peaceful demonstration began at Shahbagh Square in Dhaka.

Protesters' demands

Over several days, protesters increased their demands, asking for:

Development

Origins

Protest began right after the verdict was announced. Student organisations started the protest immediately after the Judgement in the Shahbag square that was the actual call for people to gather in the Shahbag square within half an hour of the Judgement. It took half an hour to spread out the call for protest through different social media and later the satellite TV channels. BOAN and some other social and cultural organisations called for different programmes in the same venue who later worked together. Demonstrators gathered at Shahbag Circle; they painted murals on the road, drew cartoons, hanged effigies of war-crimes suspects and chanted slogans, with a vow to continue demonstrating until their demands were met.
On 7 February, demonstrations began at 8 am. Thousands of people gathered with banners, posters, Bangladeshi flags and placards in Shahbag with their demands. On Friday afternoon, a mass rally was held at Shahbag with an estimated attendance of more than 100,000.
On 12 February, protesters observed three minutes of silence at 4 pm at Shahbag and all across Bangladesh. 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 players and supporters observed the silence. Parliamentarians and the police also joined the protest. Bengali singer Kabir Suman wrote a song entitled "Tin Minit" in honour of the silent protest.

Further developments

On 21 February, International Mother Language Day, the number of protesters reached a new high. Its leadership declared 26 March 2013, the Independence Day of Bangladesh, as the deadline for the government to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from politics.
The government did not ban Jamaat-e-Islam from politics after the deadline was over. Seven protesters calling themselves the Shaheed Rumi Squad began a fast until death on 26 March at 10:30 pm in front of the National Museum, protesting "inadequate government action" to ban Jamaat in response to the Shahbagh protesters' ultimatum. The fasters said at a press briefing that they would send an open letter to Prime Minister Hasina during the 100th hour of their protests. More than 100 organisations expressed solidarity with the hunger strikers.

Sentencing of Delwar Hossain Sayeedi

On 28 February the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, to death for convictions on 8 out of 20 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The protesters celebrated the sentence.

Counter-demonstrations

Jamaat followers were enraged by the decision, claiming that the case against Sayeedi was politically motivated. His lawyer, Abdur Razzaq, accused authorities of preventing a key witness from testifying and intentionally slanting the process. "This is a perverse judgment. It is inconceivable that a court of law awarded him a conviction. This prosecution was for a political purpose", Razzaq said. Jamaat quickly called for a nationwide two-day strike, to start on 3 March. By afternoon, violence led by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters had erupted across Bangladesh. "The Jamaat-e-Islami is fighting for its political survival", said a spokesperson. By the end of the day thirty-five people were dead, including three police officers; an additional eight hundred were injured. According to the BBC, it marked "the worst day of political violence in Bangladesh in decades".
Clashes between police and Jamaat-e-Islami workers continued on 1 March, spreading to the northern districts of Gaibandha and Chapai Nawabganj. Opposition leader Khaleda Zia criticised government "brutality" and Jamaat called for a demonstration in the capital, Dhaka. Security measures were increased to prevent the situation from escalating. The death toll rose to forty-four. Former prime minister and BNP member Khaleda Zia declared a nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal for 5 March, and called for countrywide rallies on 2 March to protest what she called government corruption, misrule, oppression, and "mass killings".
Violent conflict continued on 2 March, with another four deaths and hundreds of injuries. In Chittagong district police opened fire on Jamaat-e-Islami protesters, leading to three deaths. In Nilphamari, a young person died in a clash between protesters and police.
On 3 March, violence continued as the Jamaat-organised strike began. In Bogra Jamaat supporters attacked police outposts with sticks and homemade bombs, leading to at least eight deaths. In Godagari two deaths were reported in a similar incident, and three deaths were reported in the Joypurhat district. Violence continued in Chittagong as well, where Jamaat claimed that police opened fire without provocation. The government denied the charge, saying that violence against citizens and police would not be tolerated; three deaths were reported. "People in the street are very, very afraid of Jamaat-e-Islam. I am scared", reported an eyewitness in Dhaka. Jamaat supporters were accused to attack the Hindu citizens and their homes in many parts of the country, and torching Hindu temples, which was denied by Jamaat-e-Islami. More than 40 temples and many statues were destroyed and scores of houses set ablaze, leaving hundreds of people homeless throughout the country.
Amnesty International has urged the Bangladeshi government to provide better protection for minority Hindus. Abbas Faiz, the organisation's Bangladesh researcher, has noted that the attacks on the Hindu community were predicted and it was shocking that people were attacked because of their religion. Attacks on Hindu communities had been widespread during the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh. The Pakistani Army, Razakar and Al-Badar were involved in committing atrocities against the Hindu minority in East Pakistan.
The Islamist pressure group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, has accused several protesters of the Shahbagh of lampponing Muhammad, and making pornographic depictions of him.

Reactions

Domestic response

The Shahbag protest has attracted people from all social strata to its cause. The Shahbag intersection at the center of the protests has been referred to as "Generation Circle" or "Shahbag Square", in a nod to the events which unfolded in Tahrir Square, Cairo. The protest spread from Shahbag to other parts of the country, with sit-ins and demonstrations in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barisal, Mymensingh, Rajbari, Rangpur, Comilla, Bogra, Narayanganj, Sunamganj, Noakhali and Narsingdi.

Political response

State Minister for Law, Quamrul Islam, said that the verdict against Abdul Quader Mollah could have been different if people had taken to the streets sooner. The government is planning to file appeals with the Supreme Court contesting the sentence for Mollah. On 11 February the Cabinet approved proposed amendments to the International Crimes Act 1973, introducing a provision for plaintiffs to appeal verdicts handed down by the tribunal. This amendment, if passed, would enable the state to appeal Mollah's life sentence.
Jamaat-e-Islami, which was already staging protests against the impending trial of its leaders, called for a general strike. Jamaat continues to demand that the international war crimes tribunal be stopped and its party leaders freed. Jamaat supporters had staged nationwide demonstrations with increasing frequency from November 2012 to February 2013, demanding the release of its leaders. Actions included firing gunshots, smashing and setting fire to vehicles and detonating homemade bombs. Violence was targeted at police stationed in the capital, Dhaka, and major cities such as Rajshahi, Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Khulna. Several Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested during the strikes and confrontations with police.

Reaction from Bangladeshis abroad

Bangladeshis abroad have expressed solidarity with the protests through social media websites Facebook and Twitter. Demonstrations of solidarity have also taken place in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, and the United States.
Bangladeshis in New York City joined in a symbolic protest on 9 February at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights. A mass sit-in was organised by the Bangladeshi community in Sydney on 10 February at the International Mother Language Monument in Sydney Ashfield Park. At a rally at the Angel Statue in Melbourne, demonstrators signed a petition to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina demanding death for war criminals. Bangladeshis in Taiwan also expressed their solidarity with the Shahbag protests on 10 February.
On 10 February, Bangladeshi students gathered at Rutgers University in New Jersey to express solidarity with the Shahbag protests. Bangladeshi residents joined the students to express their support. Bangladeshi students at the University of Delaware and nearby residents demonstrated their solidarity with the Shahbag movement on 15 February at a busy intersection in Newark, Delaware. A candlelight vigil was held that evening for Rajib, a blogger and activist who was killed several hours before the demonstration.
In London, protesters at Altab Ali Park in solidarity for Shahbag were attacked by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters. Protests are held at the park every week by both sides.

International response

On 18 February British Foreign Office minister Sayeeda Warsi hailed the Shahbag Square protests, describing them as peaceful, productive and non-violent. An article in the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs by Suzannah Linton on 27 February expressed concern about "bloodlust in Bangladesh" and called on the international community to steer the process towards international standards. William Nicholas Gomes, human rights activist and journalist criticised the shahabg protestshttps://www.opendemocracy.net/opensecurity/william-gomes/shahbagh-what-revolution-whose-revolution#.US2thTO4AP0.twitter

Media coverage

Domestic

In Sreemangal, Moulvibazar cable operators in solidarity with the protests have stopped broadcasting the pro-Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami television channel Diganta Television.

International

The BBC News, CNN, Yahoo! News, Reuters, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, The Independent and others have published stories on the protests; BBC Bangla has been closely following the events. Reuters photographer Andrew Biraj published "live" photos of mass demonstrations at Shahbag.

Social media

Facebook had played an important role in spreading news worldwide about events at Shahbag. A Facebook event was created calling for a protest at Shahbag; the human chain which went viral on 5 February 2013.
Facebook was one of the main sources of information about Shahbag protest among its activists.
Bangladeshis used the Twitter hashtag "#shahbag" to provide live updates of the movement.

Outcome

The demonstration put pressure on the government to amend the International Crimes Tribunal Act so war criminals "can be swiftly executed if convicted". The cabinet also set a 60-day limit for the Supreme Court's Appellate Division to rule on appeals, to keep the cases moving. This means that those who have been convicted and sentenced to death could be executed this year if their verdicts survive appeal. In response to popular protests, Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui said on 12 February that a bill is being drafted to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from Bangladeshi politics.
On 17 September 2013, Bangladesh Supreme Court found Abdul Quader Molla guilty of murders and other war crimes and ordered his execution, executed on 12 December 2013.

Controversy

Incited Slogans

During the movement, protesters used various kinds of slogans in Shahbag. Among those, using some slogans such as Ekta ekta Shibir dhor, dhoira dhoira jobai kor, Rajakarer chamra, kutta diya kamra, were accused to promote violence.

Politically Motivated

Since the International Crimes Tribunal's inception on March 25, 2010, from 83 people 52 were sentenced to death and 31 people were not sentenced to death. Who are not sentenced to death, only three Jamaat leaders were among them. Remaining persons were BNP leader, former Awami League activists etc. When Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah was not sentenced to death they started the protest. Because, according to them, a war criminal only deserves death sentence. Even, after the verdict of Ghulam Azam's 90 years sentence they called 24-hour nationwide strike in protest. But in the case of non-Jamaat leaders, when they were not given death sentence, protesters were silent and didn't protest against those trials. So, for that, critics say, they protested not because of seeking justice for victims of 1971 war crime, rather they protested for ensuring only Jamaat leaders got hanged. Also, their secondary goals were banning of Jamaat-e-Islami from politics and 'Boycotting of Jamaat institutions'. That states that they were highly politically biased in protest.

Government Sponsored

Government party Awami league fully supported them when they started the protest. Police helped them for blocking the road until the end of the protest. Even security forces spend 7000 Taka every day for the leader of them. They even criticized Begum Khaleza Zia and her party BNP in many occasion. Awami league's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League joined the demonstration later. Critics say, this movement was created by government himself for gaining public support for hanging Jamaat leaders after 42 years.

Throwing Shoes on Corpse

On 25 October 2014, after the funeral of Golam Azam, a Shahbag movement's leader named Mahmudul Haque Munshi tried to hurl a shoe at the vehicle carrying coffin of Golam Azam. Munshi was praised by his fellow protesters for his task. But some critics opposed it by saying, throwing shoes at corpse is really disrespectful and this kind of activity might promote hatred and violence in our new generation.

Vandalizing Hospitals, Banks and Education Institutes

Shahbag protesters called for boycotting Jamaat supported/sympathizer institutes such as Islami bank and retina couching centers. Eventually, Shahbag supporters vandalized and attacked those institute, so they were criticized for their actions from their critics and civil society.

Enforced Joining

Eventually, in their protest Bangladesh Chhatra League joined their demonstration in Shahbag. And they were accused to enforce University of Dhaka students from various residential halls to join their rally.

Reviving Neo-fascism in Bangladesh

From this movement, there have raised so many controversial issues like expelling the supporter of Jamaat from Bangladesh to Pakistan. They demand to cancel the citizenship of all Jamaat supporter.. Also, according to them, whoever doesn't support this movement, they are Anti-nationals. In Addition, they frankly recognize that the ruling party Bangladesh Awami League is the only party to have the right to rule this country. As Bangladesh Nationalist Party is allience with jamaat-e-Islam they also are anti-national party, therefore they have no rights to rule the Bangladesh.
They call for boycotting all media who doesn't support their views. Diganta Television, Daily Naya Diganta, Amar Desh, The Daily Sangram all of them was in the list. Those newspaper and television was critics of Awami Legue government. Eventually, government banned Diganta Television on 6 May 2013. Acting Editor of Amar Desh, Mahmudur Rahman was arrested on 11 April 2013 and Bangladesh police closed down the Amar Desh newspaper.
Critics say that Shahbag protests was the beginning of fascism in Bangladesh, by which Awami League is still in power today.

Using under aged children

Protesters were accused to use under aged children for joining the protest. Children were used to give incited slogans. And protesters those children to get sympathy and public support.

Blocking the Hospital Road

Shahbag is home to many hospitals. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, BIRDEM General Hospital, Ibrahim Medical College, all situated in this area. Everyday thousands of patients come to Shahbag for there treatment. But protesters continued the protest by blocking this important and sensitive road for more than a month. And during those days patients suffered so much for the transportation blocking.

Blasphemy

accused a number of bloggers, who were involved in Shahbag Movement, for mocking Islam, Quran and life of Prophet Muhammad. Eventually, government arrested Asif Mohiuddin for blasphemy, who was involved in this movement from the start.

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