Published On:Sunday, March 3, 2013
Posted by abg man
Bangladesh on the boil, 21 killed in fresh clashes
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DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday deployed troops in its north as a fresh wave of violence claimed 21 lives, taking the death toll to over 77, in clashes that have rocked the nation since the conviction of Islamist leaders for 1971 war crimes.
Violence in the country escalated on Thursday when a death sentence was handed down to 73-year-old Delwar Hossain Sayedee, vice-president of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), by International Crimes Tribunal.
A two-day strike called by Jamaat starting from Sunday coincided with President Pranab Mukherjee's maiden visit to the country.
Another shutdown has been called by the fundamentalist outfit's alliance partner and main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Khaleda Zia on the last day of the visit by Mukherjee on March 5.
Authorities called army troops in north-western Bogra as JI activists attacked a police station with homemade bombs and guns at the cantonment area.
"Two platoon troops were deployed on request from the local administration as the violence erupted at the cantonment area," an army spokesman said.
The death toll in the clashes over the war crimes verdicts has risen to over 75 since the first conviction was made on January 21.
19 people, including a police constable, were killed today and about 50 others were injured in the violence that rocked the first day of the strike called by Jamaat.
Activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir clashed with the police in the districts of Bogra, Joypurhat, Jhenaidah and Rajshahi districts throughout the day.
Of those killed, 9 died in early morning clash in three upazilas of Bogra while 6 in two upazilas of Joypurhat during Jamaat-called 48-hour shutdown.
Two, including a young boy, were killed in a gunfight between Jamaat-Shibir men and police in Godagari upazila of Rajshahi while a police constable was killed in clash with Jamaat-Shibir in Jhenidah.
A Jamaat man died when Border Guard Bangladesh personnel opened fire on marauding Jamaat-Shibir activists after being attacked in Satkhira, the Daily Star reported.
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