Bangladesh violence death toll rises to 42

DHAKA - Bangladesh violence death toll Friday rose to 42 after fierce clashes between activists of an Islamic party and law enforcers following a war-crime trial verdict.  

According to local news agency UNB, 42 people were dead and dozens injured in about a dozen districts of Bangladesh.

But it was not known whether all the victims were engaged in party politics.

To thwart any further untoward incident, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel have reportedly been deployed in violence-hit Bangladesh cities and towns.

BGB personnel will mainly patrol some important areas in the capital city from Thursday night.

Clashes, arson, vandalism and detention have also been reported in parts of capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country since Thursday.

Most of the deaths were reported in the incidents of violence erupted soon after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 pronounced the verdict Thursday afternoon on a crime against humanity case, awarding death sentence to Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, believed to be the second-most important leader of Jamaat.

About 73-year old Sayeedi, considered a world famous orator on Islam and comparative religion, was indicted in October 2011 with 20 charges of crimes against humanity including looting, killing, arson, rape and forcefully converting people into Muslims during the war.

Jamaat says Sayeedi is the victim of a political vendetta.

The party, which has long been demonstrating against the efforts of the government to try war criminals, had enforced a series of hartal demanding the release of nine of its top high-ups, including its spiritual leader Ghulam Azam.

In the violence since Friday, over a dozen people including Jamaat men were dead and scores including policemen and journalists injured in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

Jamaat says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Bangladesh Awami League party has targeted the party to split the ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia-led 18-party main opposition alliance in which Jamaat is a key ally.