Angry Islamists in Bangladesh today clashed with police, hurled crude bombs and attacked the home of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's relative during a nation- wide strike against the death sentence of fundamentalist party Jamaat-e-Islami chief for committing war crimes in 1971.
Motiur Rahman Nizami, 71, was sentenced to death yesterday by a special tribunal for mass killing, rape, loot and leading execution of several intellectulas during nation's independence war against Pakistan 43 years ago.
The Jamaat protesters hurled crude bombs during the clashes prompting police to use tear gas canisters and rubber bullets in Rajshahi and Bogra where they also tried to block communication lines felling timbers on highways.
However, life in capital and other major cities remained largely normal despite sporadic street marches by Jamaat activists.
Immediately after the judgment, Jamaat protested the verdict and issued a statement calling a three-day nationwide general strike to be observed today, Sunday and Monday.
The residence of a cousin of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in southwestern Khulna was attacked last night.
The suspected Jamaat men shot several gun fires from small weapons last night at the Khulna home of the premier's cousin and ruling Awami League lawmaker Sheikh Helal Uddin but no casualty was reported.
Police and witnesses said several hundred Jamaat activists were detained, mostly from Bogra and Rajshahi to prevent violence as the activists took to the streets to protest the trial of their leaders, who sided with the Pakistani troops in 1971.
Most schools were shut across the country as the strike was called also grounding to a halt the inter-city bus and lorry services.
Earlier, 87 people, including 15 Shibir activists were detained during late-night raids. Three local weapons were recovered, Rahman said.
Nizami, a former minister in the BNP-led four party alliance government during its 2001-2006, was the last high- profile accused to be brought to justice for war crimes as the two special tribunals set up by the Awami League have so far pronounced verdicts in 10 cases.
