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Murder of Biswajit Das
2012 murder in Dhaka, Bangladesh From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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On 9 December 2012, Biswajit Das, a tailor from Dhaka, Bangladesh was murdered by members of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League.[1] That morning, the opposition 18 Party Alliance had called for a nationwide road blockade. As Das was on his way to his shop, located in Shankhari Bazaar in Old Dhaka, one or more small explosives detonated near an anti-blockade procession organized by BCL activists from Jagannath University.[2][3][4]
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Background
Biswajit Das was a 24-year-old tailor from Dhaka. His father is Ananta Chandra Das, and his mother is Kalpana Rani Das. He owned a tailoring shop in Shankharibazar, Old Dhaka, and was known for his peaceful nature, avoiding political involvement and demonstrations.[5]
Murder
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Perspective
On December 9, 2012, the 18-Party Alliance called for an anti-government blockade. Around 9 AM, a group of opposition lawyers took out a procession from the Old Dhaka Judge Court in support of the blockade. As they approached Victoria Park, a bomb exploded.[6][7]
At that moment, activists from the Bangladesh Chhatra League of Jagannath University and Kabi Nazrul Government College attacked the protesting lawyers. The lawyers attempted to flee, and in the chaos, Biswajit Das, a bystander, ran for safety.
He first took shelter on the second floor of a nearby building, inside a dental clinic. The group mistook Das for an opposition supporter and chased him from near Bahadur Shah Park into a nearby building.[3] They attacked him with machetes, iron bars, hockey sticks and struck him forcefully with an iron rod.[6][2]
Severely injured, Biswajit tried to escape into another building, but his attackers pursued him. His clothes were torn and his entire body was drenched in blood. Despite his injuries, he attempted to run again, but the assault did not stop. Eventually, he collapsed onto the ground.[8]
Some passersby tried to take him to National Hospital, but the attackers blocked their way. Das attempted to escape, but fell down at Shankhari Bazar Road. A rickshaw-puller took Das to Mitford Hospital, where he shortly died of his wounds.[3]
The daytime murder was captured live on television and appalled the nation.[1][2] Within days, Jagannath University expelled three students and cancelled the certificates of two others for alleged involvement in the murder. The following week, they expelled four more.[9]
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Aftermath
By 25 December, seven suspects were in police custody.[10] An eighth man was arrested on 26 May 2013. The eight were among twenty-one indicted on 2 June for Das' murder. All were activists of the Jagannath University unit of the BCL.[2] Their trial started on 14 July.[11] All twenty-one were found guilty on 18 December 2013. Eight were sentenced to death and thirteen were sentenced to life in prison. Thirteen, including two of those sentenced to death, were convicted in absentia and, as of August 2017, have not been apprehended.[4][12][13]
In its 2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the United States Department of State cites Das' murder as an example of political violence in connection with general strikes in Bangladesh.[14]
Trial and sentencing
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References
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