Latest news with #Al-Badr
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Yunus Talks Of "Elusive" Peace As Bangladesh Frees Man Who Killed Thousands
Tokyo: Bangladesh's interim chief Mohammad Yunus on Thursday said peace is becoming elusive in Asia and beyond, with wars and man-made conflicts destroying the lives and livelihoods of thousands. The Nobel laureate, who is in Tokyo on an official visit, said Asia must offer a "new moral compass" to the world that champions "peace over power, cooperation over competition, sustainability over short-term gain." Yunus's lecture on peace came days after Bangladesh's top court on Tuesday overturned a conviction against a key Islamist leader, who had been on death row since being sentenced under the Sheikh Hasina regime before she was ousted last year. Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam was accused of killing 1,256 people, abducting 17, and raping 13 women during Bangladesh's 1971 independence war from Pakistan. Jamaat-e-Islami had supported Islamabad during the war, a role that still sparks anger among many Bangladeshis today. Who Is Azharul Islam Sheikh Hasina-- whose 15-year-long autocratic rule as prime minister ended in August 2024 when a student-led revolt forced her to flee.-- banned Jamaat-e-Islami during her tenure and cracked down on its leaders. Islam was among six senior political leaders convicted during her tenure. Born in 1952 in Lohanipara village of Badarganj, Rangpur district, Islam served as the commander of the Al-Badr militia during Bangladesh's Liberation War. He supported the Pakistan Army in quelling the revolution. In 2014, he was convicted of orchestrating the 1971 Jharuarbeel massacre, when 1,256 civilians were brutally killed, and 13 women were raped in Bangladesh's Rangpur division. He had been in custody since 2012. Islam first appealed against his conviction in 2015, but the court upheld the verdict in 2019, and he filed a review petition in 2020. After Hasina, 77, fled from Bangladesh last year and her Awami League party was banned by the Yunus regime, Islam appealed his conviction again, filing an appeal on February 27. On Tuesday, the full bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, acquitted him. What Yunus Said In Japan Yunus, who is in Japan, addressed the inaugural session of 'Nikkei Forum: 30th Future of Asia' in Tokyo on Thursday, where he called for transforming Asia into a beacon of shared prosperity. He said that the world is getting increasingly turbulent, with peace becoming "elusive" due to man-made conflicts. "We are passing through a time of great uncertainty. We are witnessing a world where peace is fragile, tensions are growing, and cooperation is not always guaranteed," he said, according to Bangladeshi publication Prothom Alo. Yunus said wars are destroying the lives and livelihoods of thousands in Ukraine, Gaza, and in the countries in South and Southeast Asia. Without naming India and Pakistan, Yunus said, "Very recently, our two neighbours have fought a short but expensive war. Regrettably, we are spending billions in fighting wars, leaving millions of our people starving or struggling for basic needs." Interestingly, in his whole speech, Yunus failed to mention the civil unrest in Bangladesh that led to Hasina's ouster or the growing violence against minorities, especially Hindus, since then.
Iraqi News
4 days ago
- Health
- Iraqi News
Around 95 cases of VHFs were recorded in Iraq
The Ministry of Health announced new official statistics on hemorrhagic fever - VHF cases and deaths on Tuesday in Iraq. "The latest statistics issued by the Ministry's Public Health Department showed that 95 cases of VHFs have been recorded since the beginning of the year, including 13 deaths. The last week saw no deaths, but only infections," said the Ministry's official spokesperson, Saif Al-Badr, to the Iraqi News Agency - INA. He explained that "all cases were recorded among livestock breeders, butchers, and those working in the field of raising, transporting, and slaughtering animals." The Ministry recommended purchasing meat only from authorized slaughterhouses, storing meat at very low temperatures, and cooking it at very high temperatures, with special tools for cutting it, calling for "referring to the nearest healthcare facility when the initial symptoms of the disease appear, which include high fever, fatigue, and physical pain." "If the diagnosis of the disease is delayed until bleeding from body orifices or under the skin, the likelihood of complications and death increases. Early detection has previously contributed to saving dozens of cases," highlighted Al-Badr. He emphasized that "all Ministry of Health institutions in Baghdad, the governorates, and the Kurdistan Region are equipped to diagnose VHFs through specialized laboratories. There are also isolation wards designated for those infected or suspected of being infected until the diagnosis is confirmed." The Ministry of Health circulated awareness messages through the media, including posters and short, animated awareness videos. Al-Badr asserted that "the epidemiological situation is under control, and the disease is being monitored daily by the Minister of Health, the Public Health Department, and technical teams."
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Deep Betrayal': Sheikh Hasina's Party Slams Yunus After Court Acquits 1971 War Crimes Convict
Last Updated: In a strongly worded statement on X, the party called the Supreme Court's ruling a "national disgrace" The banned political party of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League, on Tuesday condemned the acquittal of convicted war criminal ATM Azharul Islam, calling it a 'deep betrayal" of the country's 1971 Liberation War and its martyrs. In a strongly worded statement on X, the party called the Supreme Court's ruling a 'national disgrace", saying: 'War Criminal Azharul Islam Acquitted — A Deep Betrayal of Bangladesh's Liberation War and Its Martyrs." 'Azharul Islam, a top commander of Al-Badr during the 1971 Liberation War, was convicted for the brutal murder of over 1,500 innocent Bengalis, including acts of mass rape, looting, and collaborating directly with the Pakistani military to crush the independence movement. Today, he walks free," the Awami League wrote. The statement came a day after the top court acquitted Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam, who had earlier been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 war. The post also criticised Nobel laureate and interim caretaker leader Muhammad Yunus, accusing his administration of failing to protect the legacy of the country's hard-fought independence. 'This ruling is a slap in the face to every mother who lost her child, every woman who was violated, and every freedom fighter who gave their last breath for a sovereign Bangladesh," the Awami League said. The Awami League, now in exile or underground since the party was banned on 12 May, claim the acquittal reflects growing political compromise and a weakened judiciary under Yunus' interim rule. The party accused Yunus of failing to prioritise justice for war crimes, stating: 'While the media keeps us distracted with overhyped narratives surrounding Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the real enemies of the nation — the war criminals who bathed in the blood of our people — are being quietly forgiven, washed clean, and welcomed back into society." Yunus, 84, assumed interim leadership in August 2024 after mass student-led protests forced Hasina to flee to India. The protests were met with a harsh crackdown, leading to over 1,400 reported deaths and triggering global concern. Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India—defying an arrest warrant linked to the 2024 crackdown—her party remains active online and among grassroots supporters. The Awami League, Bangladesh's oldest political party and a key force in the 1971 independence war against Pakistan, stated that justice for war crimes is a non-negotiable principle. 'This is not reconciliation. This is not justice. This is treason in disguise," the party declared in its post. 'We demand answers. We demand justice. The blood of our martyrs will not be forgotten. Not now. Not ever," it added. Location : Bangladesh First Published:
