Massive Funeral for Jamaat Leader Amid Protests in Bangladesh

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• Sayedee passed away from a heart attack in prison, sparking violent protests in the capital.
• Funeral held with heavy police security in his hometown; no incidents reported.
• Confrontation during a memorial ceremony results in one death.

Around 50,000 individuals attended the funeral of a Jamaat-i-Islami leader in Bangladesh on Tuesday, according to the police, following the leader’s death in prison, which triggered violent demonstrations.

Delwar Hossain Sayedee, aged 83, had been sentenced to death in 2013 for his involvement in the rape, murder, and persecution of Hindu Bangladeshis during the nation’s struggle for independence decades earlier. He had held the position of vice president within the Jamaat party.

Sayedee passed away on Monday due to a heart attack while in a prison located outside Dhaka. This event led to protests in the capital city, which escalated into violence when law enforcement intervened to disperse the demonstrators.

Tight security was enforced by the police during Sayedee’s funeral in his hometown situated in the coastal Pirojpur district. A substantial crowd gathered to witness the burial without any untoward incidents, with an estimated 50,000 people participating in the funeral prayer, as stated by Sheikh Mustafizur Rahman, the deputy district police chief.

However, in other parts of the country, a confrontation between police and a group attempting to hold a memorial ceremony for Sayedee resulted in the death of one person. According to Chakaria duty police officer Md Selim Mia, clashes arose as the group sought to conduct a funeral prayer, leading to the fatal clash and causing injuries to multiple individuals, including police officers.

Following the news of Sayedee’s demise on Monday night, numerous supporters of the Jamaat party took to the streets, chanting slogans against the government. Law enforcement responded by using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the protests, a measure carried out before dawn on Tuesday, as conveyed by Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesperson Faruk Hossain.

The police force disclosed that it had denied Jamaat’s request to hold a post-funeral prayer gathering in the capital city.