A Bangladesh tribunal convicted and sentenced an Islamist party leader to death on Thursday for atrocities in the country's war, bringing a wave of violent protest from his supporters nation-wide. Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, 61, assistant secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was found guilty of genocide and torture of unarmed civilians during the 1971 war, lawyers and tribunal officials said.
War veterans were among hundreds on the street outside the court who cheered the verdict, the fourth war crimes conviction by the tribunal. More are expected. Leading defence lawyer Abdur Razzaq rejected the verdict and sentence and said Kamaruzzaman would appeal.
Supporters and activists of Jamaat and its student front Islami Chatra Shibir staged violent protests against the verdict in cities across the country, including Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna and Patuakhali, police and witnesses said.
They said activists blocked highways, attacked vehicles, started fires and attacked banks and government buildings. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them. Jamaat called a day-long general strike on Sunday to protest against the verdict. "We are happy with the verdict as it fulfils the demands of the countrymen, especially the young generation," said Imran Sarker, who gave up his medical practice to lead the movement demanding the death penalty for all war criminals. Jamaat and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party accuse the prime minister of using the tribunal to persecute them. The government denies the charge.