It is more than 40
years since the brutal war of independence that allowed the new nation of
Bangladesh to emerge from what had been East Pakistan. In that war, up to three
million people died.
Now Bangladesh
is torn by riots over the conviction of two leading politicians for
collaborating with the Pakistan army to target pro-independence activists
during the struggle. The spiritual leader of the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, Ghulam
Azam, has been sent to gaol for 90 years, while another leading member of the
party, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, has been sentenced to death.
The verdicts
were handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka, set up in
2010 by the current government led by the Awami League. Two people have been
killed in riots this week, and 100 so far this year.
Mr
Mujahid was a student leader in 1971 who wanted to keep Bangladesh part of
Pakistan. His party claims the trials
are politically motivated, while Human Rights Watch has described them as
"flawed".
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