2013 Shahbag protests

2013 Shahbag Protests
Part of Trial for Bangladesh genocide from Bangladesh Liberation War
Demonstrators in Shahbag in February 2013
Date5 February 2013 – 6 March 2013
Location
Bangladesh (began at Shahbagh Square, Dhaka)

23°44′18″N 90°23′45″E / 23.73833°N 90.39583°E / 23.73833; 90.39583
Goals
Methods
Resulted in
Parties
Lead figures

On 5 February 2013, protests ignited in Shahbagh, Bangladesh, fueled by the call for the execution of the convicted war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah. Previously sentenced to life imprisonment, Mollah was convicted on five of six counts of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh.[13][14] Mollah supported the West Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and played a crucial role in the murder of numerous Bengali nationalists and intellectuals.[15][16][17] The demonstrations also sought the government's ban on the radical right-wing and conservative-Islamist group, Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in politics, including elections, and a boycott of institutions supporting or affiliated with the group.[18]

Protesters perceived Mollah's sentence as unduly lenient,[19][20] leading bloggers and online activists to mobilize additional protests at Shahbagh, resulting in heightened participation in the demonstrations.[21][22] Jamaat orchestrated several counter-protests challenging the tribunal's validity and the protest movement, advocating for the release of those accused and convicted.[23]

On 15 February, blogger and activist Ahmed Rajib Haider was killed outside his house, by members of a far-right terrorist group Ansarullah Bangla Team affiliated with the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami,[24] leading to widespread condemnation and outrage during the heightened time.[25][26] On 27 February of the same year, the war tribunal convicted Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, a prominent right-wing fundamental-Islamist, of war crimes against humanity and subsequently sentenced him to death.[23]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbcnews-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Shahbagh grand rally demands ban on Jamaat". The Daily Star. 9 February 2013. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference bdnews-2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference vow was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference yamend was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Bangladesh executes opposition leader". Al Jazeera. 12 December 2013. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  7. ^ Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman hanged by Bangladesh for 1971 war crimes Archived 2022-01-29 at the Wayback Machine. Jagran Josh. 13 April 2015.
  8. ^ "Bangladesh executes 2 opposition leaders for war crimes". Hindustan Times. 22 November 2015. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  9. ^ Bangladesh Hangs Another Islamist Leader Archived 2022-01-29 at the Wayback Machine. The Diplomat. 15 May 2016.
  10. ^ Bangladesh executes Islamist tycoon Mir Quasem Ali for 1971 war crimes Archived 2022-01-29 at the Wayback Machine International Business Times. 4 September 2016
  11. ^ Khalidi, Toufique Imrose (6 May 2013). "Behind the rise of Bangladesh's Hefazaat". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Bangladesh court declares Jamaat illegal". Al Jazeera. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Zafar Iqbal slams media". The Daily Star. 5 January 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  14. ^ "The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973". bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  15. ^ Rabbi, Saimul Islam (16 February 2013). "Bangladesh 1971: War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes against Humanity". BD News 24. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Brief background history was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Protesters demand death for Bangladesh war crimes Islamist". Reuters. 6 February 2013. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  18. ^ Rahman, Mashiur (28 February 2013). "Analysis: Calls grow for banning Jamaat-e-Islami in BD". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  19. ^ "Outraged". 6 February 2013. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  20. ^ Sarkar, Ashutosh (7 February 2013). "Verdict surprises some top jurists". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  21. ^ "Bangladesh's rising voices". Aljazeera. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  22. ^ "Outrage explodes over verdict". The Daily Star. 7 February 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  23. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference BBC16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ "Blogger Rajib's 'killers' linked to al-Qaeda: DB". The Daily Star. Transcom Group. 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 18 March 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2015. The North South University students ... were working under a new-born extremist militant organisation 'Ansarullah Bengali Team'
  25. ^ "Shahbagh protest to go relentless". bdnews24.com. 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  26. ^ "Shibir man behind blogger killing". The Daily Star. 2 March 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.