Warning: Some of the images below are graphic. They show dead and inured people
Clashes over Bangladesh protest leave ’15 dead’
6 May 2013 Last updated at 11:12 GMT/UTC
Police used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators
At least 15 people are reported to have been killed and more than 60 hurt after police and Islamist protesters clashed in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.
Police used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse a Sunday protest organised by the group Hefazat-e Islam.
But there were later running battles throughout Sunday and into Monday in areas across the city.
Tens of thousands of Islamists had gathered in the city to call for stronger Islamic policies.
Rioters went on to set fire to shops and vehicles.
‘Very aggressive’
Central Dhaka was reported to be calm following a day and night of violence.
Police said a ban had been imposed on all rallies and protests in the city until midnight on Monday to prevent a repeat of the clashes.
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Hefazat-e Islam
- A tightly-knit coalition of a dozen or so Islamist groups, pushing to change Bangladesh’s secular culture via imposition of what it sees as proper Islamic ways
- Rose to prominence in Feb 2013, rallying against a campaign that demanded the death penalty for an Islamist leader convicted of war crimes
- Support drawn from religious schools across Bangladesh
- Has 13-point charter of demands including exemplary punishment to those who “insult Islam”.
Thousands of Islamist activists were seen fleeing the Motijheel area of Dhaka on Sunday as police moved in to take control of the area.
Having secured the business district by the early hours of Monday, the police said officers were searching for protesters hiding in nearby buildings.
The area around the city centre’s largest mosque had turned into a battleground as police reacted to stone-throwing rioters with tear gas, stun grenades, rubber bullets and truncheons.
Clashes also broke out in Kanchpur on the south-eastern outskirts of Dhaka.
There were varying reports of the number of dead and injured, but police have confirmed that two officers and a member of the security forces were among the dead in Kanchpur.
One witness who watched events unfold from a rooftop in central Dhaka said the demonstrators “were very aggressive, some people were throwing stones and the situation quickly become violent… the police had no option but to respond”.
“Rioters vandalized markets and set fire to bookshops where the Holy Koran is sold. Thousands of Koran and religious books burned. They also attacked the ruling party’s political office and national mosque,” he told the BBC.
The bank employee, who asked not to named, said many people in Dhaka were angry about the violence, particularly as the city is still mourning the recent loss of more than 600 workers in a building collapse.
“I am Muslim and 90% of the population is Muslim too but the protesters do not represent our views,” he said.
‘Hang atheists’
On Sunday, crowds of protesters blocked main roads, isolating Dhaka from other parts of the country.
Dhaka’s Daily Star newspaper reported that the group hired at least 3,000 vehicles, including buses, lorries and minibuses to bring demonstrators into the capital, while others travelled there by train.
Chanting “Allahu Akbar!” (“God is greatest!”) and “One point! One demand! Atheists must be hanged”, the activists marched down at least six main roads as they headed for Motijheel, AFP news agency reported.
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At least 10 people have been killed and more than 60 injured in continuing clashes between police and Islamist activists in Bangladesh’s capital DhakaHefazat-e Islam – a coalition of around a dozen Islamist organisations – is seeking to impose a stricter form of Islam on Bangladeshi society.
The movement, which draws its strength from the country’s madrassas, or religious schools, has issued a 13-point charter of demands, including greater segregation of men and women.
Its opposition to a national development policy for women has angered women’s groups.
The government, which describes Bangladesh as a secular democracy, has rejected Hefazat-e Islam’s demand for a new law on blasphemy.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said current legislation was adequate.
Muslims make up nearly 90% of the country’s population, with the rest mostly Hindus.
End
Other Reports
Bangladesh: A massacre of demonstrators – Human Rights Group
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that the security forces, including the Border Guards Bangladesh, the Rapid Action Battalion and the Police, started a massive crackdown on the demonstrators of the Hefazat-E-Islam early morning on Monday. According to unverified information the AHRC has received, a huge number of lives have already been lost. Numerous victims have been shot at close range by the state agencies. It appears that the international community stationed in Dhaka is fully aware of the brutal crackdown and the wanton extrajudicial execution happening within Dhaka and in the outskirts of the city.
Graphic pictures [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] and audiovisual records [ Video 1] [Video 2]are available through the social media, from unverified sources, that reveal the deadly reality on the ground. It is reported that the security forces are using heavy artillery, which are normally used in the war fronts.
Bangladesh, recently has become extremely violent. The violence surfaced over the issue of objectionable blog-postings concerning Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). It is reported that a large number of protesters gathered in Dhaka since early morning yesterday, May 5, 2013, under the umbrella of a group named Hefazat-E-Islam demanding punishment of the so called ‘atheist bloggers’, who allegedly remained under the protection of the state agents, for writing blasphemous materials. Hefazat-E-Islam has been demanding 13 points including a legislation on blasphemy, reformation of the country’s ‘women policy’ and adoption of the name of Allah in the constitution.
The AHRC does not agree with any of the demands made by the Hefazat-E-Islam. Our concern, however, is for the right of everyone to participate in protests. At all times the sacredness of the right to life must be respected.
The violence that is going on in Bangladesh must stop now. The international community has a moral as well as a legal obligation to intervene, which could save lives and could prevent the situation from deteriorating further. The United Nations must take all necessary actions, most importantly through the office of the Secretary General to bring an immediate end to the bloody impasse that has befallen upon the country.” – humanrights.asia
Progress Bangladesh:
RAB, Police and BGB have entered the biggest Hefazote Islam Institute – Hat Hajari Madrasa in Chittagong and opened fire. Shah Ahmed Shafi is the principle of that Madrasa.
Hefazat leaders report 431 deaths
(Google translation – not ideal )
“At bidibrekim2 4
Dhaka: Dhaka unstable. Lily cattbare Sunday night araitaya dinagata Motijheel police custody tarate Islam, RAB and BGB joint operations with at least a few thousand people were injured. At least 4 killed hundreds of innocent people are in custody has been musallike. They claimed that up to 431 people have been confirmed dead. Dinagata isalira custody of the siege happened at night. Days before the Sunday night until 1 2ta paltane police and Awami League clashes killed at least 16 people in custody.
I 2ta from different points of 1, there is a matijhilake RAB and BGB. Tight conditions to prevail in the whole of the saharei. The police are moving at the 1. Any semblance of order to start operations at the Joint Forces. Most people were asleep when tired Motijheel activists custody. I just talked to them in the Joint Forces araitaya.
Joint operations forces using tear gas, fire and grenades. Digbidika tear out of the custody of sleep was almost unconscious musallira elopatari have to go in the street. However, the operation is widely seen dead in the street there. Keuba is still life in the state.
The number of dead could be? To ensure that a large number of which, because of the campaign. The leader of the Islamic bidibrekinke in custody – until now, at least 4 of their leaders have been killed hundreds. He said more bodies could be carried custody claim.
There are 8 medikele the body, the body of Islamic banks are in the hospital. Some of the troops were ainasrnkhala lasake. A voluntary government has yet to confirm the number killed.
Custody of one central leader – a” Sunday night in the history of the genocide has been run. Erate electricity through a variety of media to the history of Joint Forces nyakkarajanaka’s genocide. But at least hundreds of our 4 leaders have been killed. ‘5 ’71 As the body of the joint forces began to be carried off. The victory was close. ‘
The higher the government’s decision in the light of the almost four ainasrnkhala the horizon turns off the TV broadcast.
Note that the custody Sunday during the siege becomes unstable. The LGRD Minister and Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful announced hephajatake Motijheel leaving, otherwise any action that the Minister said.
013 6th May” – bdbreaking24.com
Alternative translation/summary: Sunday, around 2 am BGB Rab and police coalition force clashed with Hefajot e Islam leaving thousands injured. Hefajot claimed that at least 400 Muslims have been killed, confirming 413 dead. Earlier 16 people were dead due to class with the regime. The coalition force attacked after midnight, when most of the exhausted protestors were sleeping.
The force threw grenades, gas and fired live ammunition in a rapid manner. After the atrocity many dead bodies and half dead people were seen on the streets of Motijhil-Dhaka. The death toll cannot be estimated as the operation took place at night. And there are complaints of corpse abduction.
Meanwhile by the order of higher government authority, the law enforcement agencies closed opposition news channel, Diganta Television.
During the protest on Sunday, Dhaka became unstable and the LGRD minister announced the protesters to leave Dhaka or they will take action.
Allama saphi (Ahmad Shafi) leader of Hefazat arrested
=======================================
Media
(NB: Media not verified)
(Video credit: Channel4News)
Published on 6 May 2013
Islamist hardliners, demanding a new anti-blasphemy law, engage in running battle with police, which are understood to have killed 22.
(Video credit: bjnr0)
Published on 6 May 2013
“Riot in progress, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This was filmed near Narayanganj. It’s an anti government protest by Hefazat-e Islam.
Not long after 10 protesters and 2 policemen were killed. We were extremely lucky to escape ourselves.“
(Video credit: AlJazeeraEnglish)
Published on 6 May 2013
The government in Bangladesh has cracked down after violent protests in Dhaka. Police have raided the headquarters of the Hefazat-e-Islami group, and taken away its leader. The government has also taken a television station off the air. At least 14 people were killed during violent demonstrations on Sunday, and there have been more deaths since. And now the fighting has spread to areas outside the capital. Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford reports.
(Video credit: GroundZeroMosque)
Published on 5 May 2013
Death toll raises as Islamists in Bangladesh riot for the death penalty for secular and atheist bloggers, less women’s rights, death penalty for blasphemy of Islam, Muhammad and the Quran, and more Sharia Law.
Thousands of Islamists took the streets of Dkaha, the capital of Bangladesh demanding that bloggers who practice atheism and secularism be hung to death. They are also demanding strict Muslim Shariah law and less women’s right in the heavily Moslem secular country moving Bangladesh backwards.
Hundreds of thousands of hardline Islamists demanding a new blasphemy law blocked highways and fought running battles with police, leaving three people dead in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on Sunday, police said.
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.
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.
(Video credit:Progressbd )
Published on 5 May 2013
Diganta TV’s office has been raided by BTRC officials around 4:15AM and broadcast has been shut down. Officers confiscated equipment, instruments along with things from the office. Diganta: transmission forced shut after police confiscate DTV equipment. #banglaspring
“The law enforcement agency of this Baksalist government has taken away valuable/essential machine parts of our transmission. It is not possible to restart transmission of our channel. We call upon all believers in freedom of expression and free flow of information to protest against this autocratic actions of Awamileague government.”
(Video credit: Progressbd)
Published on 6 May 2013
Description: Police, RAB and BGB cracked down on Hefazat’s Dhaka Siege rally in the early hours of the night using live fire, sound grenades and tear gas. Many casualties have been reported.
(Video credit: Progressbd)
Published on 6 May 2013
Eye-witness reports the horrifying moments of Black Night where police officers gunned down protesters and ran them over with tanks in the middle of the night, around 2:45AM. Countless have been injured and killed, however, no media groups have been allowed to cover the story, and therefore urges the nation to spread this news in any way possible.
Bangladesh riot/ massacre Pictures of dead 5th May Photo:
Progress Bangladesh Disturbing full witness statement: trucks picking bodies, then fire truck cleanedup blood
“Spoke to a colleague at office who confirmed a disturbing detail. His friend is a photo journalist at a reputable online media agency, and they both are from DU. The photo journalist informed him that as the police were brush firing at Motijheel, a group of trucks were present followed by a group of fire trucks. As the dead fell, a group hauled them quick onto the trucks and the fire trucks splashed the area with water to remove traces of blood. The operation was for atleast 1.5 hours. I post it here because it is similar to the narrative prevalent on social media. Also the witness is non- Hefazat.”
Bangladesh riot/ massacre Man apparently shot in the head Photo:
Progress Bangladesh
Goaty's News (UK) 
More updates from Progress Bangladesh. Warning: There are very graphic pictures of dead and injured people on this Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/progressbangla?ref=stream&hc_location=stream
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