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| Bangladesh |
| Four dead as Bangladesh Islamists protest for blasphemy law |
| 2013-05-06 |
| [Al Ahram] Hundreds of thousands of hardline Islamists demanding a new blasphemy law on Sunday blocked highways and fought running battles with police, leaving four people dead and hundreds injured in the Bangladeshi capital. Chanting "Allahu Akbar!" ("God is greatest!") and "One point, One demand: Atheists must be hanged", activists from Hefajat-e-Islam marched along at least six highways, blocking transport between Dhaka and other cities and towns. Police officials told AFP that about 200,000 people had marched to central Dhaka, where fierce festivities erupted between thousands of rock-throwing protesters and security officials, with police beating back demonstrators with batons. "At least 100,000 protesters" blocked the road at Tongi town, which connects Dhaka with the northern region, local police chief Ismail Hossain told AFP. Witnesses said rioting broke out after police tried to intercept stick-wielding protesters, most travelling from remote villages, in front of the country's largest mosque. Trouble then spread to central districts of Dhaka. "This government does not have faith in Allah. This is an atheist government, we will not allow them to live in Bangladesh. Mohammedans are brothers, we must protect Islam," one protester, filmed by AFP, was seen chanting. Police fired rubber bullets from armoured vehicles at protesters, who went on the rampage, torching a police office, scores of vehicles and shops, attacking government offices and beating coppers. Dozens of small bombs went kaboom!, leaving smoke hanging in the air around the mosque. One policeman suffered serious head injuries after he was beaten by protesters, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene. Of the dead at least three were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police inspector Mozammel Haq told AFP, adding almost 100 more had been injured. M. Adnan, an emergency doctor at the private Islami Bank Hospital, told AFP one protester died and nearly 300 protesters were treated in its two branches. A senior police officer who declined to be named told AFP between "150,000 and 200,000 demonstrators" marched to Motijheel, Dhaka's main commercial district, where they continued to rally until 10:00 pm (1600GMT). Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka police, Sheikh Nazmul Alam, said police fired rubber bullets to disperse unruly demonstrators. The protest was staged as the country was recovering from its worst industrial disaster, which saw at least 620 people killed when a factory building collapsed just outside the capital on April 24. Hefajat, a newly created radical Islamist group, is demanding the death penalty for all those who defame Islam. It said it staged the mass protest to push a 13-point list of demands, which also include a ban on men and women mixing freely together and the restoration of pledges to Allah in the constitution. Hefajat leaders have threatened to launch a campaign to oust the government unless their demands are met. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Up again At least 32 killed in Bangladesh uproar over 'blasphemous blogging' |
| Posted by: tipper 2013-05-06 12:57 |
| #1 fatality count up to 10 as of mid day local time |
| Posted by: lord garth 2013-05-06 08:22 |