DHAKA: Approximately 50,000 individuals participated in the funeral procession for a prominent Islamist leader in Bangladesh, according to police reports. The passing of Delwar Hossain Sayedee, aged 83, set off a series of intense anti-government demonstrations marked by violence.
Sayedee was convicted in 2013 for crimes including rape, murder, and the mistreatment of Hindu Bangladeshis during the nation’s struggle for independence decades earlier. His demise occurred due to a heart attack in a prison located outside Dhaka. Subsequently, protests erupted in the capital city, with violent clashes when law enforcement intervened to disperse the crowds.
The deputy district police chief, Sheikh Mustafizur Rahman, stated that around 50,000 individuals attended the funeral service.
Sayedee was a key figure in the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party, an Islamist political entity that has garnered a substantial following despite experiencing bans throughout much of its history. The party has been mired in controversy for advocating for Bangladesh’s continued affiliation with Pakistan during the brutal liberation war of 1971.
Sayedee’s prominence surged in the 1980s when he commenced preaching in prominent mosques across the country. During his peak, his speeches drew immense crowds, and recordings of his sermons gained wide distribution.
A decade ago, his conviction by a war crimes tribunal triggered the most lethal protests in Bangladesh’s history. The clashes that ensued resulted in the deaths of at least 100 individuals. Jamaat claimed tens of thousands of its supporters were arrested in subsequent crackdowns.
Upon hearing the news of Sayedee’s passing, numerous Jamaat adherents took to the streets, rallying with anti-government slogans. Police responded by using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the protests before dawn on Tuesday. Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain affirmed that an application by Jamaat to conduct a post-funeral prayer in the capital had been rejected by the police.
