DHAKA: The clashes erupted in Bangladesh on Wednesday between police and supporters of the country’s largest Islamic party amid a nationwide strike called to protest the yesterday’s court ruling which sentenced a senior leader of party to death for war crimes.
The Bangladeshi top court on Tuesday awarded death sentence to the 65-year-old Abdul Kader Mullah, a senior leader of Jamaat-e-Islami party, for war crimes during the country’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan which Mullah and his supporters described as politically motivated.
The Mullah’s party, hours after the court’s verdict, announced a 48-hour general strike across the country beginning Wednesday to denounce the ruling. On Wednesday, schools and businesses were closed as the strike was enforced.
The clashes broke out between the party’s activists and police in the capital, and in several other towns, leaving scores wounded.
Police said that one person was killed when he was hit by a stone thrown by opposition supporters outside the capital while at least five activists from the party were detained when they clashed with security officials.
Police fired tear gas to disperse opposition supporters who exploded homemade bombs, barricaded roads and threw stones at security officials in some towns.
