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2013 Shahbag protests

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Shahbag Protest of 2013
Demonstrators in Shahbag on February 2013
Date5 February 2013 (2013-02-05) to Present
Location
Projonmo Chottor, Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh

23°44′18″N 90°23′45″E / 23.73833°N 90.39583°E / 23.73833; 90.39583
Caused by
Methods

The Shahbag Mass Movement of 2013 in Bangladesh began on Tuesday February 5, 2013 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the demand of capital punishment for Abdul Quader Mollah and all the other accused war criminals of the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh.[5][6] Abdul Quader Mollah was charged with abetting the Pakistani army; actively participating in the 1971 atrocities in Bangladesh; rape (including the rape of minors); and mass murder of Bangladeshis in the Mirpur area of Dhaka during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The many grievous attrocities committed by Abdul Quader Mollah during the liberation war earned him the nickname of Mirpurer Koshai (মিরপুরের কসাই) — Butcher of Mirpur.[1] On February 5, 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh sentenced Abdul Quader Mollah to life in prison after he was proved guilty in five out of the six charges against him.[7] Within hours of the verdict, mass discontent broke out in Bangladesh where most people were expecting capital punishment for Mollah.[8][9][10] The bloggers and online activists gave voice to the public opinion and called for a mass demonstration at the Shahbag intersection in central Dhaka.[11] People joined the protest and the demonstration culminated into the 2013 Shahbag movement.[12] The Shahbag intersection is currently being referred to as "Projonmo Chottor" (প্রজন্ম চত্ত্বর) - "New Generation Circle" in English. It has also been referred to as Shahbag Square in a nod to the historic and revolutionary events which unfolded in Tahrir Square in Egypt. Thousands have been holding day and night vigils at Shahbag refusing to leave until Mollah and other war criminals get capital punishment.[13] A protester and blogger, who had written blogs against Jamaat-e-islami activities, was slaughtered on 15 February.[14][15]


Historical Context

See also: 1971 Bangladesh atrocities and Razakars (Bangladesh)

In 1971 Bangladesh was a part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and was called "East Pakistan" because Bangladesh was the eastern most province of Pakistan. The background of the Shahbag protest goes back to the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, in which the then East Pakistan fought against West Pakistan for nine months. During this period, in addition to providing support and guerrilla training to the freedom fighters, popularly known as Mukti Bahini, India joined the war on December 3, 1971 supporting East Pakistan. The armed conflict ended on December 16, 1971 and resulted in the formation of The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh as a free, secular and independent state. Many atrocious and dreadful crimes were committed by the West Pakistan army and their supporters.[16][17][18] Time reported a high ranking U.S. official as saying It is the most incredible, calculated killing since the days of the Nazis in Poland.[19] More than three million people were killed, nearly a quarter of a million women were raped, and over 10 million people were forced to seek refuge in India to escape brutal persecution in East Pakistan.[20][21]

A paramilitary force called Razakars was created during the struggle under the Razakar Ordinance promulgated in May 1971 by the Governor of East Pakistan, Lieutenant General Tikka Khan. The Ordinance stipulated the creation of a voluntary force to be trained and equipped by the Provincial Government.[22] The term Razakar (رضا کار) is an Urdu word meaning "Volunteer" but it became a disgraceful term in the Bengali language due to the shameful acts of betrayal to the homeland and the atrocities the Razakars committed and/or facilitated during the war. The perpetrators of the crimes were never brought to book and this left an unfathomable abrasion on the country's political awareness and the nation as a whole.[23]

The majority of the people of the then East Pakistan supported and participated in the call to create a free and independent Bangladesh during the Liberation War. But a small number of pro-Pakistanis, as well as members of a number of different fundamentalist political parties, particularly Jamat-e-Islami (JEI) and its student wing Islami Chatra Sangha (ICS), Muslim League, Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) Council Muslim League, Nejam-e-Islami joined and collaborated with the Pakistan occupation army to aggressively resist the formation of independent Bangladesh. Most of them committed and facilitated the commission of atrocities in violation of international law in the territory of Bangladesh. The workers belonging to purely Islami Chatra Sangha were called Al-Badr, the people belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League, Nizam-e-Islami, etc were called Al-Shams and the Urdu-speaking people generally known as Bihari were called Al-Mujahid.[24]

Trial attempts

See also: 1971 Bangladesh atrocities § War crimes trial attempts

The Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order 1972 was promulgated to bring to trial those Bangladeshis who collaborated with and aided the Pakistan Armed forces during the Liberation War of 1971.[25] There are conflicting accounts of the number of persons brought to trial under the 1972 Collaborators Order, ranging between 10,000 and 40,000.[26] At the time, the trials were considered precarious by local and external observers, as they appear to have been used for carrying out political vendettas. R. MacLennan, a British MP who was an observer at the trials stated that 'In the dock, the defendants are scarcely more pitiable than the succession of confused prosecution witnesses driven (by the 88-year old defence counsel) to admit that they, too, served the Pakistan government but are now ready to swear blind that their real loyalty was to the government of Bangladesh in exile.'[27]

The Government of Bangladesh issued a general amnesty on November 30, 1973, applying to all persons except those who were punished or accused of rape, murder, attempt of murder or arson.[26] The Collaborators Order 1972 was revoked in 1975.

The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 was promulgated to prosecute any persons, irrespective of nationality, accused of committing crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, war crimes, ‘‘violations of any humanitarian rules applicable in armed conflicts laid out in the Geneva Conventions of 1949’’ and ‘‘any other crimes under international law’’.[28] Detainees held under the 1972 Collaborators order who were not released by the general amnesty of 1973 were going to be tried under this Act. However, no trials were actually held, and all activities related to the Act ceased after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

There are no known instances of criminal investigations or trials outside of Bangladesh of alleged perpetrators of war crimes during the 1971 war. Initial steps were taken by the Metropolitan Police to investigate individuals resident in the United Kingdom who were alleged to have committed war crimes in a Channel 4 documentary film aired in 1995. To date, no charges have been brought against these individuals.[29]

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of 2010

Old High Court Building (Dhaka) where the tribunal is taking place.
See also: International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) and International Crimes Tribunal Timeline

In 2008, just before the general election, the majority of the people in Bangladesh, especially the Awami League and the Awami Juba League (Awami Youth League), were very concerned of justice to the victims of the crimes committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 and felt the necessity of trying those criminals even 38 years after independence of the country.[30][31] As it became a national demand Awami League-led 14-party alliance included this in their election manifesto.[32] The other large alliance, namely 4-party alliance including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, had several alleged war criminals as their top ranking politicians.[33] The freedom fighters and sector commanders of the liberation war pleaded with the public not to cast votes for the alleged war criminals.[34] The 14-part alliance won the election, held on December 29, 2008, with an overwhelming majority mainly because of their vows to prosecute war criminals.[35][36][37] On 29 January 2009 Mahmud-us-Samad Chowdhury, a member of the parliament (MP) from Awami League (AL), put forward the proposal to take action regarding the trial of war criminals during a session of the Jatiyo Sangshad. Other members of the party seconded the proposal and finally a resolution was passed unanimously calling on the government to ensure immediate trial of the war criminals.[38] In 1973 the newly independent government of Bangladesh passed a law called the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act (ICT Act 1973) to investigate and prosecute the persons responsible for genocide,[39] crimes against humanity, war crimes and other crimes under international law committed in 1971. The Act was a complete law in itself, "providing the substantive law, definition of crimes, procedures to follow, provisions of evidence, constitution of the Tribunal, obligation of the Judges to be independent and to ensure fair trial standards, including the rights of the accused, rules to monitor investigations and interrogations, supervising arrest and viability of continued detention, rules to protect the witnesses and victims, rules regarding appeal after conviction, and the rule making authority of the judges etc."[40] On March 25, 2009 the government decided to try the war criminals according to the ICT Act 1973 but with some amendments to make it more up to date.[41][42] As a part of the amendment procedure, the government sent the Act to the Law Commission where it was scrutinised by specialist lawyers, judges and professors of universities.[42][43] According to the recommendations made by the Law Commission some aspects of the ICT Act 1973 were amended by the legislation on 9 July 2009.[44] With inclusion of the new provisions, trial of a political party that worked against the liberation of Bangladesh could also be held on the same charge and the government was also empowered to file appeals with the Appellate Division against acquittal order of a tribunal.[44]

Finally on the eve of the 39th anniversary of Operation Searchlight, the genocide[39] committed by the Pakistani army, the government announced the formation of a 3-member tribunal, 7-member investigation agency and 12-member prosecution team to hold the trial under the ICT Act 1973 on March 25, 2010. This landmark announcement for Bangladesh actually came just seven hours before the moment the massacre was committed on the night of March 25, 1971.[32][45]

The three man judge's panel appointed were Mohammed Nizamul Huq as chairman with A.T.M. Fazle Kabir and A.K.M. Zahir Ahmed being appointed the other seats.[46]

The members appointed to the investigative agency who were tasked with assisting the state prosecutors are. Abdul Matin, Abdur Rahim, Kutubur Rahman, ASM Shamsul Arefin, Mir Shahidul Islam, Nurul Islam and M Abdur Razzak Khan.[47]

Golam Arif Tipu was named as Chief Prosecutor. The others are, Syed Rezaur Rahman, Golam Hasnayen, Rana Das Gupta, Zahirul Huq, Nurul Islam Sujan, Syed Haider Ali, Khandaker Abdul Mannan, Mosharraf Hossain Kajal, Ziad Al-Malum, Sanjida Khanom and Sultan Mahmud Semon.[47]

Verdicts

Abdul Quader Mollah is the most recent of the war criminals to be found guilty. A 'formal charge' was filed by the Prosecution against Abdul Quader Mollah on 18 December 2011 in the form of a petition as required under Section 9(1) of the 1973 Act.[23] On February 5, 2013, International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) found him guilty of crimes against humanity during the war for independence from Pakistan in 1971.[7][48]

Abdul Quader Mollah was charged with the following:

  • 1. Pallab Murder
  • 2. Killing pro-liberation poet Meherunnesa, her mother and two brothers
  • 3. Khandoker Abu Taleb Killing
  • 4. Ghatar Char and Bhawal Khan Bari killing
  • 5. Alubdi Mass Killing (344 people)
  • 6. Killing and rape of Hazrat Ali and his family members.

He was found guilty in all of the aforementioned charges expect for charge number 4. His verdict was life imprisonment in two cases (charge 5 and 6) and 15 year jail sentence in 3 cases (charge 1, 2 and 3).[23]

The day before the verdict Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the fundamentalist islamic political party of which Mollah is a leader, had announced a countrywide dawn-to-dusk general strike for Tuesday February 5, in protest of their leader's trial and impending verdict.[49] At the same time Bangladeshi the Awami Juba League (Awami Youth League) were dissatisfied with the International Crimes Tribunal verdict, considering it a very lenient sentence.[8][10] Following the verdict, there have been numerous postings on Facebook and Twitter and in blogs denouncing the judgment and demanding capital punishment for Mollah. One Facebook user wrote on his status: “Come to Shahbagh, even if you are scared of the troubles on the street. You’ll find so many people standing by you demanding trial of the anti-liberation hyenas and vultures. Just forget what might happen. Just say that you demand capital punishment (for the war criminals). You have the courage to raise your voice with others in this demand.”[50]

Development of Protest

Protests start Tuesday 5th February 2013

Some protesters at Shahbag Square

The protests started by the Awami Juba League (Awami Youth League) just a few hours after the verdict was announced. The activists, along with people from blogs and social networking sites, rejected the verdict and started protesting on Tuesday afternoon at Shahbag Chottor or 'Projonmo Chottor' [প্রজন্ম চত্তর]. The demonstrators painted murals on the road, drew cartoons and hanged effigies of war crime suspects, including Mollah, with a vow to continue the protest until their demands were met.

Protest Ramp up

The third day of the sit-in protest started with the demonstrators singing the national anthem of Bangladesh from 8am. More and more people gathered carrying banners, posters, and placards in Shahbag Chottor with the same demand as the news of the protest spread through the social media.[51][52]

A public WiFi was set up by the Awami League at Shahbag Chottor with SSID giving people access to high speed internet for providing live online coverage.

Mass Rally on 8 February

On Friday afternoon, a mass rally was called at Shahbag Square.[53] It is estimated that several hundred thousand people attended the rally. Dr Zafar Iqbal addressed the rally, praising the young generation and apologizing for previously underestimating their ability to mobilize.

Countrywide 3-minute silence on 12 February

One week after the protests began, a 3-minute silence from 4:00pm to 4:03pm was observed at Shahbag and all across Bangladesh on February 12, 2013.[54] In Dhaka, the traffic was stopped, and thousands of people flocked to the streets, formed human chains and stood in silence. The ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium halted for three minutes as the players and the supporters observed silence. The parliamentarians and the police force also joined the protest and it became a part of history.[55] The popular Bengali singer Kabir Suman has written, composed, and put to tune a song titled as Tin Minit (Three Minutes)[56] on the very same day to honor the silent protest.

Symbols

File:Shahbagprotest.jpg
Fisheye view of Shahbag Protest

Colorful street arts, face paintings and bandanas, candles and flower petals representing the map of Bangladesh, etc. added to the slogans and the banners.[57]

Demands

  • Demand capital punishment for all war criminals.[60][61][62]
  • Ban Jamaat from politics.[2][3]
  • Boycott all Jamaat institutions[63]

Oath of Shahbag Square movement

"We swear an oath that the leadership of mass people from the Gonojagaran Mancha will continue the movement from Teknaf to Tetulia until capital punishment is handed down on those Razakar and Al-Badr members who committed crimes against humanity like mass killing and rape in 1971. We take the oath that we will remain vocal both on the streets and online until politics of war criminal Jamaat-Shibir is not banned and nationality of their members not cancelled. We further take the oath that we will continue demonstration demanding trial under a special tribunal of those Razakars and Al-Badr activists who were convicted and under trial but freed after 1975. We swear that we will boycott the war criminals' business entities -- Islami Bank, Ibn Sina, Focus, Retina and different other coaching centres. We know through these they collect money to continue with anti-liberation activities. We will also boycott the academic and cultural organisations through which they are spreading anti-liberation sentiments among the children. In brief, we will work for banning all the business, social and cultural organisations belonging to Razakars and Al-Badr activists. We swear that we will continue with our demand of stringent punishment to Jamaat and Shibir, who have committed crimes of sedition by threatening a civil war, after making their immediate arrest by recognising them through video footages and newspaper pictures. We swear that we will boycott war criminals' mass media like Diganta Television, Daily Naya Diganta, Amar Desh, The Daily Sangram, Sonar Bangla Blog. We will not subscribe to newspapers of war criminals at any office or house. At the same time, we will request the pro-liberation mass media to boycott war criminals and their accomplices."[64]

Timeline of Protest

  • February 5 - Molla gets sentenced to life imprisonment. Initial gathering of protesters in Shahbag.
  • February 6–7 - Protests intensify, crowds grow bigger, other cities and towns pick up protest. Diaspora Bangladeshis, student communities abroad also begin to register their protest.
  • February 8 Friday - Hundreds of thousands attend afternoon rally in Shahbag and nationwide. Dr Zafar Iqbal and others address the crowds.
  • February 9–10 - Protest continues countrywide.
  • February 12 - 3-minute silence observed in Shahbag and all across the country.[65][66] Shibir attempts to disrupt with mid-day rally which quickly turns violent as they use guns and bombs against police.[67][68]

Media Coverage

Domestic media

Domestic media covered this event widely. While most media outlets have been following the development of the situation since the earliest moments, some pro-Jamaat-e-Islam news outlets reported the movement as being some kind of "well-orchestrated play made by the government."

In Sreemangal, Moulvibazar cable operators have stopped broadcasting pro-Jamaat-e-Islam television channel Diganta Television, to show solidarity to the protests.[69]

Coverage by international media

BBC,[70] CNN,[71] Yahoo! News,[72] Reuters,[73] Al Jazeera,[74] The New York Times[75] and others have published news about this movement in their respective sites. BBC eventually changed their main title after Bangladeshi citizens took to Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook to point out several inaccuracies. The Bangla version of BBC has been closely following the events. They have several articles as well as audio interview of protesters in Shahbag posted in their page.[76][77] Reuters photographer Andrew Biraj has also published some live photos. Many bloggers and writers have published articles on several international media such as The Guardian article by Tahmima Anam and The Huffington Post article by Anushay Hossain on how the protest started at Shahbag and eventually connected Bangladesh as well as Bangladeshi people from all over the world.[78][79]

Online petition

Petitions named Kader Molla Should Be Sentenced to Death and United nation, Bangladesh government: War criminals receive death penalty for the atrocity of 1971 in Bangladesh have started on online petition sites Causes.com and Change.org respectively where thousands of people are signing to express their support.[80][81]

Facebook

Being the most popular social networking site among Bangladeshis home and abroad, Facebook played the most important role to spread the news worldwide about the progress of events happening at Shahbag. In fact, it was due to the recurrent sharing of posts from bloggers and different Facebook Pages that people started to attend events at Shahbag, and also inspired people everywhere else to show solidarity with equal motivation. Some factions, however, have been using the same tool to provoke controversy and false threads against this movement to mark it as staged, obscene and political. Rather such diversions were mostly dealt with similar fury only comparable to that at the Shahbag Square.

Shahbag on Twitter

Elsewhere, people from Bangladesh and all over the world are tweeting with #shahbag[82][83] hashtag with live update of this movement, on social network Twitter. The movement can be viewed in a visual way by visiting Shahbag.org (a website dedicated to this movement) . In addition, the events at Shahbag have seen the growing popularity of local social networking websites, such as Beshto.com and Somewhere In...Blog. For people who couldn't be at Shahbag for various reasons, especially for people living abroad, a live coverage was broadcast online by means of free broadcasting websites like Ustream and JagoBD.

Reactions

Domestic responses

File:Protest timeline Shahbag Square.jpg
The first image is of the night of 5th February when the Shahbag Protest was started by online activists to ensure the capital punishment for Abdul Quader Molla and other war criminals of 1971. The second image is of 8th February when thousands joined the demonstration, regardless of their political or religious beliefs.

The protest started by the activists has resonated with the masses and people of all strata have come out in great numbers to support this cause. People all over Bangladesh are demanding the capital punishment of the convicted war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah.[5] The major demonstration led by online bloggers, activists and general students is being widely accepted and joined in by people from all walks of life.[84] Political figures including ministers and MPs (Members of Parliament) and celebrities are showing solidarity with this demonstration in Shahbag Avenue. This avenue is currently being referred to as Projonmo Chottor (প্রজন্ম চত্ত্বর) or New Generation Circle in English. The protest has spread to other parts of the country, with sit-ins and demonstrations taking place in Chittagong, Sylhet, Barisal, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sunamganj, Noakhali and Narsingdi.[73][85][86][87]

This movement has inspired the youth of the nation and has reinvigorated the belief and confidence of the elders and freedom fighters on the youth of the country. Amiruddin Ahmed, a freedom fighter, was among the thousands of people who have joined the protest at Shahbagh. “After coming here I have realised that the national flag is secure at the hands of our children,” he said. The sexagenarian freedom fighter, who came there with his wife Rijia Amir, became quite emotional, ”I pray from my heart that they grow big in life.” Many of the 1971 ‘Golden Generation’ like Ahmed have found their hangout at ‘Projonmo Chottor’ to draw fresh inspiration.[88] Writer, Prof. Muhammed Zafar Iqbal was also one who regained his faith on the youth and now sees new hopes. He said, "I am here to offer my apology to you. I wrote in newspapers that the new generation only hits 'Like' on Facebook and writes on blogs, but does not take to the streets. You have proved me wrong and I thank you all for this". Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof. AAMS Arefin Siddique said, “Today is a movement to make the country free from razakars. The country needs to be freed from razakars’ hands. Capital punishment of the razakars is a demand of the country’s 16 crore people.”[89] Jahangirnagar University Vice Chancellor M. Anwar Hossain said, “The people of Bangladesh have rejected the verdict. At Projonmo Chottor, we join our hands to make a clear statement, to give a call to all countrymen to unite and oust the anti-liberation forces from the soil.”[89] Sector Commanders’ Forum vice chairman K M Shafiullah (Bir Uttam) said, “I haven’t come here to deliver a speech. I’m here to express my frustration. We want to know how many killings should Mollah have carried out in order to get the death sentence.”[89] State Minister for Law, Quamrul Islam said that the verdict against Abdul Quader Mollah for war crimes could have been different if people took to the streets ahead of the verdict.[90]

Political party response to protests

The Bangladesh Awami League has been disappointed with the verdict. However, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Friday said the government would fulfill its election pledges by trying all the war criminals.[91] The government is also working to file appeals with the Supreme Court contesting the recent verdict.[92] On February 11, 2013, the Cabinet approved proposed amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 to introduce a provision for plaintiffs to appeal to the apex court against verdicts delivered by the Tribunal. This amendment, if passed in parliament, will enable the state to appeal against the life sentence handed down to Abdul Quader Mollah.[93]

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, who were already staging violent protests against the impending trial of their leaders, has called for Hartal.[94] Jamaat continues to demand that the International War Crimes trial be scrapped and that their leaders be freed, regardless of whether their leaders are proved guilty or not. Jamaat supporters, and their student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, carried out violent demonstration and acts of terror nationwide demanding the release of their leaders. Such acts included firing gun shots, setting vehicles on fire and exploding homemade bombs.[95][96][97] The violence was targeted to the police forces stationed at different points of the major cities,as well as innocent bystanders [98][99]

Reactions of Bangladeshis living abroad

File:Protest from Gothenburg Sweden.jpg
Bangladeshi community in Gothenburg Sweden, expressing solidarity with the protest at Chalmers University of Technology campus
Supporting Shahbag Protest at Stuttgart

From the very beginning of the movement, Bangladeshis living abroad expressed solidarity through the social media websites facebook and twitter.[50] Solidarity demonstrations took place in Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy,[100] Malaysia[101] South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and United States. In United states, Bangladeshis joined the protest through mass gathering and demonstrations, especially in different universities of the majority of the states.[102][103]

City-wide demonstrations took place in London (UK), Uppsala (Sweden), Trento (Italy), Toronto, Newfoundland & Labrador (Canada), New York City, Washington, D.C. and Dallas-Fort Worth (US).

Students at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign USA, expressing solidarity with the protest
Bangladeshi Students of Rutgers University, New Jersey Protested Against War Criminal of 1971

Bangladeshis living in New York City joined in a symbolic protest on February 9, 2013 at Diversity Plaza, Jackson Heights.[104] In London, a solidarity protest took place at Altab Ali Park starting from February 6, 2013. On the third day of the demonstration, the protesters were attacked and severely beaten by the supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami party of East London.[105] A mass sit-in demonstrations were arranged by the Bangladeshi Community of Sydney, Australia in front of International Mother Language Monument in Sydney Ashfield Park on February 10, 2013.[106] Another mass gathering took place at Kings Park, Perth the same day to pronounce soidarity with the movement.[citation needed] In another mass gathering in the Angel Statue of Melbourne the demonstrators signed a petition to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, asking for death penalty to the war criminals.[107]

Bangladeshis throughout the world are gathering into spontaneous protests against the verdict of the war criminals of 1971

Spirit of Shahbag at Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA. On February 10, 2013, Bangladeshi students and professionals got together at the Rutgers University campus to express solidarity with the 2013 Shahbag protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Many Bangladeshi residents of New Jersey who are not affiliated with Rutgers University, joined the university students to express their support.

A mass demonstration was arranged by the Bangladesh Student Association at University of Calgary in front of City Hall, Calgary, Alberta, Canada on February 7, 2013. Bangladeshi citizens residing in Calgary joined the event and expressed solidarity with the Shahbag movement.[citation needed]

A gathering was arranged at Lafayette, Louisiana, USA during the parade of Mardi Gras on February 9, 2013 by the Bangladeshi Students of University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The students expressed their solidarity with the Shahbag Movement and interacted with the crowd during the parade to spread the view.[citation needed][108]

In Germany, the largest demonstration was organized at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen campus by the young Bangladeshis living North Rhine-Westphalia(NRW) on February 10, 2013. On February 9, 2013 another large gathering of Bangladeshi expats pronounced solidarity to the Shahbag Demonstration. [citation needed]

Bangladeshi living in Taiwan (Republic of China) expressed their solidarity with the Shahbag protest on 10 February 2013 in Taoyuan County. Bangladeshi students from National Taipei University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, YuanZe University, Chinese Culture University.

A statement from the Bangladeshis living abroad expressing their solidarity with the ongoing movement was read at the "Projonmo Chottor".[109][110]

Outcome

The demonstration put a huge pressure on the government to amend the International Crimes Tribunal Act to make provisions for appeal on behalf of the the defense. The parliament made the necessary amendment on 11 February 2013, that paved the path of reconsidering the verdict given against Mollah.[111] Abdul Latif Siddiqui,the Jute and Textiles Minister of the government, said on 12 February 2013, that the preparation of a draft of a bill banning Jamaat-e-Islami from Bangladeshi politics is underway.[112]

Cultural activities

Tui Rajakar Slogan leading by Lucky Akter. Lucky Akter's relentless slogan, which was one of the key elements of the Shahbag movement, inspired and invigorated Bangladeshi people from every corner of the world.[113]

Tora Shob Chol Chol Chol By Hyder Husyn & Brothers.[114]

A "Chorompotro 2013" has been written for this protest.[115] Chorompotro was a popular radio program during the Liberation war of Bangladesh.

The National Cricket Team of Bangladesh visited the Shahbag premises on 10 February 2013 to express their solidarity with the movement. The team was accompanied by senior officials of the Bangladesh Cricket Board as well as former players.[116][117][118]

Kabir Suman composed three songs titled Gonodabi, Shahbage Raatbhor, and Tin Minit to support the movement.[56][119][120]

Paromita Mumu composed a song titled "Uttoradhikar" to express solidarity with Shahbag from San Diego, CA, USA. [121]

Chomok Hasan from NC, USA composed a song titled "Uttal Shahbag" to support the movement. [122]


Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2013 Shahbag Protest.

See also

Reference

  1. ^ a b c "Huge Bangladesh rally seeks death penalty for War Crimes". BBC. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Shahbagh grand rally demands ban on Jamaat", The Daily Star, 9 February 2013
  3. ^ a b "Cry for Jamaat ban". Bdnews24.com. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  4. ^ "Vow to boycott Jamaat institutions", The Daily Star, 9 February 2013
  5. ^ a b "Protesters demand death for Bangladesh war crimes Islamist". Reuters. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  6. ^ "Thousands in Bangladesh war crimes protest". Aljazeera. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Summary of verdict in Quader Mollah case", The Daily Star, 6 February 2013
  8. ^ a b "OUTRAGED", The Daily Star, 6 February 2013
  9. ^ "Verdict not acceptable", The Daily Star, 6 February 2013
  10. ^ a b "Verdict surprises some top jurists", The Daily Star, 7 February 2013
  11. ^ "Compilation of Shahbag Movement: A new Sun Uplifts". Priyo.com. Monday, February 11, 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Outrage explodes over verdict", The Daily Star, 7 February 2013
  13. ^ "Masses rally for death sentence to all war criminals". Bdnews24.com. Wednesday, February 8, 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "Shahbagh blogger killed in Pallabi". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). Friday, February 15, 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Shahbagh protest to go relentless". bdnews24.com. Friday, February 15, 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ Telegram 959 From the US Consulate General in Dacca to the US Department of State, March 28, 1971, 0540Z
  17. ^ Telegram 978 From the US Consulate General in Dacca to the US Department of State, March 29, 1971, 1130Z
  18. ^ Telegram 986 From the US Consulate General in Dacca to the US Department of State, March 30, 1971, 0905Z
  19. ^ Pakistan: The Ravaging of Golden Bengal, Time, 1971-08-02
  20. ^ "3 MILLION Slaughtered Sheik MUJIB Charges 'Greatest Massacre'" The Portsmouth Herald, page 6, Monday, 17 January 1972, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  21. ^ "Bangladesh war crimes stir tension". 30 June 2008. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  22. ^ The Dacca Gazette Extraordinary, Aug 2, 1971. Available at http://www.icsforum.org/library/files/420_GovernmentofEastPakistan1971.pdf
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  100. ^ Solidarity with Shahbag Movement from the University of Trento, Italy - CNN iReport
  101. ^ timesworld24.com|last updated news::কাদের মোল্লার ফাঁসি : আন্দোলন মালয়েশিয়াতেও
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