The opposition in Bangladesh announced a three-day strike soon after the country’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentence against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali, also a prominent media tycoon. He was just 17 years old during the 1971 Bangladesh civil war.
So far five prominent leaders of the Jamaat have been hanged in different parts of the country. Ghulam Azam, former chief of the organization, recently died in prison. He was 90 years old. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have expressed serious concern over the death verdicts issued by the Bangladesh war tribunal.
Last year, 500 people lost their lives after the hanging of another Jamaat leader, Abdu Qadir Mullah. According to human rights organizations, all allegations and sentences are politically-motivated and the Sheikh Hasina government is using the current scenario only for political gains.
Unfortunately despite growing tensions between the government and opposition, the government is trying little to calm down the situation. The recent execution of Mir Quasem and the house arrest of another major opposition leader has fueled further anger and protests. The protests are spreading outside Dhaka. The opposition parties claim that the government is trying to divert the attention of people from real issues. Only last year, more than 1,000 people were killed when a garment factory collapsed during working hours. In another incident, 10 people lost their lives due to a fire in another garment factory.
Political uncertainty and daily strikes have affected business in Bangladesh and poor people are particularly suffering the most. — Khawaja Umer Farooq, Jeddah
Bangladesh woes
