Bangladesh, which went to war with Pakistan in 1971 to gain its independence, is going to war against the same Islamists who opposed Bangladeshi independence. On Sunday, the government arrested AKM Yusuf, the leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami Party, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The charges against AKM Yusuf date back to the 1971 war of independence.
Only last week, the government arrested another Islamist party leader for crimes in the 1971 war, and Islamist activist started to react with violent protests. Since January, when the government, which had commenced investigating war abuses, sentenced a former senior Jamaat-e-Islami figure to death in absentia, more than 100 people have died in protests and counter-protests.
Jamaat has denied that its leaders murdered, raped and tortured others during the 1971 war.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.