DHAKA — Bangladeshi police on Friday shot dead three Islamist activists who were protesting against two of their leaders' convictions for war crimes, while far larger demonstrations calling for the men to be executed continued for an 11th day. A tribunal sentenced Abdul Quader Mollah to life in prison on Feb. 5 for war crimes including murder, rape and torture, the second verdict in trials that have reopened wounds of Bangladesh's 1971 independence conflict. Most Bangladeshis had expected a death sentence to be handed to Mollah, 64, assistant secretary-general of Jamaat-e-Islami — the country's biggest Islamist party. Tens of thousands of protesters have rallied every day in more than a dozen cities since the sentencing, demanding the execution of Mollah and others convicted of war crimes. Dhaka demonstrations have attracted crowds of more than 100,000. However the judgment — which followed the conviction of another former Jamaat leader on similar charges last month — also led to smaller counter-protests around the country, involving around 5,000 Jamaat activists in total. They say the convictions are politically motivated and are demanding the tribunal be disbanded. The deaths on Friday took place in the southeastern town of Cox's Bazar town, a popular tourist resort, during clashes between police and Jamaat activists. Police said they opened fire after failing to disperse activists with teargas. The town's police chief Mohammad Azad Mia said his officers had used guns after Islamists had first opened fire, set off dozens of crude bombs and hurled stones and bricks. “We had to open fire in self defense, as the militants turned on law enforcers,” he said. — Reuters
