Latest news with #ATMAzharulIslam
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Anti-Hasina, pro-JeI actions of B'desh closely connected
The Bangladesh interim regime's decision to charge ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with committing "crimes against humanity" is intrinsically linked to the move to re-register pro-Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) as a political party and exonerate it from the 1971 war crimes , said analysts. Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Sunday ordered the Election Commission to restore the right-wing JeI's registration, nearly eight months after the interim government lifted a ban on it, clearing the way for its participation in future elections. The same day the interim regime pressed charges against Hasina, who was removed from power in August 2024 following the JeI-backed "street protests". Last week the court overturned the conviction of ATM Azharul Islam, a key JeI leader, who had been sentenced to death in 2014 for rape, murder and genocide during the 1971 war for the liberation of Bangladesh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Descubra a Segurança Personalizada [Saiba Mais] Alarme Verisure Solicite orçamento Undo It is no secret that the JeI had supported the Pakistan Army during the 1971 war, said one of the analysts, who did not wish to be identified, adding that the Pakistan Army and several JeI leaders actively participated in the genocide and other atrocities against citizens of then East Pakistan. With Pakistan trying to regain its influence in Bangladesh, the reregistration of the JeI gives the Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) a shot in the arm, the person said, pointing out that the JeI's pro-Pakistan stand is in sync with the interim regime's chief adviser Muhammad Yunus ' assertion to build "stronger ties" with Pakistan. Live Events The JeI has been an ally of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for decades but its track record in elections has never matched its rhetoric. It was banned after the independence of Bangladesh for collaborating actively in the genocide perpetrated by Pakistani Army, and the JeI leaders fled abroad into exile. They were rehabilitated by the BNP founder and the then Bangladesh President General Ziaur Rahman. Later, as an ally of the BNP during its rule, the JeI played a critical role in pushing the ISI agenda and giving space to Indian insurgents on Bangladeshi soil, said the analysts cited earlier.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
He sided with Pakistan in Bangladesh's liberation war. Why is ATM Azharul Islam then out of jail and receiving a hero's welcome?
He sided with Pakistan in Bangladesh's liberation war. Why is ATM Azharul Islam then out of jail and receiving a hero's welcome? Team TOI Plus May 30, 2025, 19:56 IST IST The acquittal of Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam, accused of mass murder and rape in the 1971 war, once again highlights how terrorists and religious extremists are being granted leniency under the Yunus-led administration On May 28, hundreds of Jamaat-e-Islami workers and supporters gathered in Dhaka to welcome their leader, ATM Azharul Islam , following his release from prison. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh recently acquitted Azharul, 73, overturning the death sentence previously handed down by the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
Kuwait Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Protests paralyze Bangladesh daily life
DHAKA: Protests have become part of daily life in Bangladesh's capital, with residents either taking part as political parties jostle for power after an uprising last year—or avoiding them. The South Asian nation of around 170 million people has been in political turmoil since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August 2024, fleeing by helicopter as crowds stormed her palace. Hasina's 15-year-long authoritarian rule contained protests like a pressure cooker, until the student-led movement spearheaded a revolt that toppled her from power. On Wednesday, at least half a dozen demonstrations were held in the sprawling megacity of Dhaka, home to more than 20 million people. This was a typical day, with the demonstrations ranging from political rallies and counter-protests, to worker strikes and celebrations at the release of an Islamist leader from death row. 'I got released this morning after being imprisoned for 14 years,' ATM Azharul Islam said, waving at thousands of supporters of the country's main Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami. The tight-packed crowd cheered as the senior leader was released from a prison hospital in central Dhaka, a day after the Supreme Court overturned his death sentence and acquitted him of war crimes. 'There was no justice in the past... we expect the court will ensure that the people get justice in the coming days,' Islam said. Leftist parties say they will demonstrate in opposition to his release. Across Ramna Park in the neighborhood of Naya Paltan, thousands choked the streets as part of a rally in support of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP). Political parties are readying for hugely anticipated elections which the interim government has vowed will take place by June 2026 at the latest. 'Unpredictable' While tens of thousands gather at major intersections across Dhaka with their demands, others spend hours navigating their way through traffic-snarled streets. 'All the major roads are blocked during the day,' chicken seller Zakir Hossain said Wednesday. 'We've had to shift our schedules. I start work at midnight now, even though the law and order situation is worsening every day, and muggings have become common.' It worries many, remembering the violence last year when police tried—and failed—to crush the protests that toppled Hasina. 'The situation is unpredictable—the protests can turn violent at any moment,' said a 43-year-old housewife, asking not to be identified as her husband is a government employee. 'I never used to call my husband much, but now I do. If he is even a little late coming home from the office, all sorts of bad thoughts come to my mind.' Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner who is leading the caretaker government as its chief adviser until elections are held, has called for parties to build unity and calm intense political power struggles. The government warned on Saturday that 'unreasonable demands' and obstruction had been 'continuously obstructing' its work. 'A balance' Yunus has said polls could be held as early as December but that having them later would give the government more time for reform. Rallies organized by the powerful BNP are calling for the government to set an election date, as well as a raft of other demands, including the sacking of multiple members of Yunus's cabinet. In other protests, tax authority workers, angered at an overhaul of the body that would place it under the finance ministry's control, held a two-week partial strike. That escalated on Sunday when security forces surrounded the national tax headquarters, before the government later backtracked on its reform. Civil servants this week also demonstrated at the main government ministry complex to rally against orders changing employment rules—which the government then said it will reconsider. On the streets, the protests continue. 'Customers rarely come to the bank when they see the roads blocked,' said bank manager Muhammed Sazzad. While he supported the right to assemble, he suggested the government 'could designate a specific area for protests'. Rakib Hasan Anik, a lecturer at the Bangladesh University of Professionals, said that 'academic discipline is suffering', with students stuck in traffic and missing class. 'There needs to be a balance,' he said. 'We can only hope all sides reach a consensus that prioritizes the public.' - AFP
Economic Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Bangladesh deploys special forces as employees protest new rules
Dhaka remained tense on Tuesday as government employees continued with their protests inside the main government secretariat for the fourth consecutive day despite strict security measures taken by the law enforcement agencies. Members of the special weapons and tactics unit were seen stationed at the main entrance of the secretariat, in addition to members of the Border Guard Bangladesh and Rapid Action Battalion, people based in Dhaka told ET. Nobody, except for the officials and employees of the secretariat, was allowed to enter the premises, they said, adding that even local journalists were not allowed entry. Protests are intensifying in Bangladesh also because business is sluggish, investment remains scarce and new jobs are not being created, according to the people. Amid the chaos, on Tuesday, death row convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam was acquitted of the charges of crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War. He was sentenced to death in 2014 by the International Crimes Tribunal, after having been accused of orchestrating mass killings in 1971. Between March and December 1971, under Azharul Islam's leadership, victims were abducted and confined in Bangladesh's Rangpur Town Hall, which was used as a rape camp, according to one charge against the Jamaat leader. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus was scheduled to leave Dhaka early Wednesday on a four-day official visit to Japan to attend the 30th Nikkei Forum and hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to boost bilateral cooperation.
NDTV
27-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Bangladesh Islamist Leader On Death Row For 1971 War Crimes Acquitted
Dhaka: Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted a senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader, overturning his death sentence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in a war crimes case related to the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan. ATM Azharul Islam was acquitted by the Appellate Division of the top court. "The full seven-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, delivered the verdict, ordering acquittal of Mr ATM Azharul Islam," a state counsel said. He said the court also directed the prison authorities to release Islam from jail immediately if he was not arrested in other cases. There was no higher court in Bangladesh or any international forum to reverse the top court verdict, the counsel added. According to state and defence counsels, the top court observed that the death sentence was handed down without any proper assessment of evidence, leading to an "unjust verdict". The 73-year-old leader of the Islamic party, which was opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971, was arrested over charges of committing crimes against humanity during the War. Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal sentenced him to death for multiple charges, including genocide, murder, and rape. The Appellate Division upheld the verdict after an appeal hearing on October 23, 2019, prompting Islam to file a petition seeking to review the judgment before the same court on July 19, 2020, presenting 14 legal arguments. Professor Muhammad Yunus's interim government Law Adviser Asif Nazrul welcomed the acquittal calling it the outcome of last year's student-led movement that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League regime on August 5. "The credit for creating the scope for establishing this justice goes to the July-August mass movement leadership," Nazrul said in a social media post. However, hours after the announcement, left-leaning students at the premier Dhaka University (DU) and northwestern Rajshahi University (DU) took to the streets. Several left-leaning student groups at DU staged a protest march against the acquittal, accusing the interim government of facilitating Islam's exoneration. "We condemn the interim administration's attempt to rewrite history after 54 years with such assertions," Bangladesh Students' Union General Secretary Shimul Kumbhakar told the rally. Kumbhakar added: "If the interim government continues releasing Razakars and Al-Badr members (armed collaborators of Pakistani Army in 1971) and fully absolving them of their crimes, it (interim government) will face the same downfall as the fascist (deposed premier) Hasina's regime." Revolutionary Student Unity General Secretary Jabir Ahmed Jubel said, "We witnessed someone who was sentenced to death on three separate counts now being cleared of all charges". According to media reports and witnesses, violence sparked in the RU campus as left-leaning student groups brought out a torch march. It was confronted by activists of Islamic Chhatra Shibir-- said to be the student front of Jamaat. Democratic Student Alliance, a grouping of left-leaning organisations in RU alleged that around 200 Shibir activists attacked their torch march, wounding over a dozen of their supporters on the campus, known to be a Shibir stronghold. Shibir too claimed that some of their activists were injured in the attack. In 2009, Bangladesh initiated a legal process to try key collaborators of Pakistani forces in 1971 on charges of crimes against humanity. Following trials, six top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and one senior figure from former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party were executed after the Supreme Court's Appellate Division upheld their convictions. Hasina and several members of her cabinet and party are being exposed to trial in the same tribunal—originally established to prosecute 1971 war crimes—on similar charges of crimes against humanity for their alleged actions during last year's crackdown on the uprising. Islam's lawyer Shishir Monir said he was "fortunate" because the five other senior political leaders had already been hanged while he "got justice since he is alive". Jamaat-e-Islami had never revisited its role since 1971, but in a rare and unexpected move, its incumbent chief Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday offered an apology "to anyone who might be hurt by the party at any time." Addressing a press conference in Dhaka, Rahman said Jamaat activists were humans "after all" and "to err is human". "As a party, we do not claim to be above mistakes. If any (of our) party activists, party workers or the party itself has caused harm or hurt anyone, anywhere, we unconditionally apologise. Please forgive us," he said.
