Journalist shot in Bangladesh after funeral for hanged opposition leader

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 10 years ago

A journalist was injured in a shooting incident in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The attack occurred after the funeral of two opposition leaders executed for war crimes.

Summary

DHAKA: Unknown assailants opened fire on a Bangladesh television channel's vehicle and wounded a journalist on Sunday, hours after two opposition leaders were hanged for war crimes committed during the 1971 war to break away from Pakistan.

The shooting took place in southeastern Chittagong district when the vehicle was returning from the funeral of former lawmaker Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, who was hanged along with ex-minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid.

Chowdhury, 66, was from ex-premier Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He was dubbed the "terror of Chittagong" in Bangladesh for his part in hundreds of killings 44 years ago, and was convicted in 2013 by a special war crimes tribunal.

Two unknown attackers opened shots at the vehicle and wounded reporter Rajib Sen, according to Naimul Hasan, additional police superintendent of Chittagong.

"We are trying to nab the attackers and find out the reason behind," he told Reuters by telephone. - Reuters

Photo caption: An ambulance carrying the body of Islamist opposition leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid comes out of the Dhaka Central Jail after his execution on Sunday, November 22, 2015. - Reuters/Ashikur Rahman

KEY POINTS:

• A journalist was shot in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
• The shooting happened after the funeral of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid.
• Both leaders were hanged for war crimes from the 1971 war.
• Police are investigating the shooting and searching for the assailants.
• The conflict and its aftermath continue to impact Bangladesh's politics.