End diplomatic ties with Pakistan

The ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance yesterday demanded an end to diplomatic relations with Pakistan for interfering in Bangladesh's internal affairs and trial of the Jamaat-e-Islami for its alleged involvement in war crimes in 1971.

They also called BNP chief Khaleda Zia a traitor for questioning the number of martyrs in the 1971 Liberation War and demanded her trial too.

The demands were raised at a human chain, held at different points on the 14km route between Gabtoli and Sayedabad in the capital. The alliance organised it protesting Pakistan's denial of the 1971 atrocities and Khaleda's remarks that there were controversies over how many were martyred in the war.

The protesters said Pakistan had overstepped the boundaries of diplomatic decency by meddling in Bangladesh's affairs and requested refrainment in the future.

Several hundred leaders and activists joined the hour-long human chain, which started at 4:00pm and created traffic congestion in different parts of the city.

Though the human chain aimed to protest Pakistan's meddling and Khaleda's remarks, there were some banners demanding immediate arrest of The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam and shutdown of the newspaper.

The alliance announced to hold human chains to protest the same in the district headquarters on February 24.

Pakistan officially questioned the war crimes trials in Bangladesh last year, especially after the execution of Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury.

Bangladesh warned Pakistan against further interference. 

Tension between the two countries heightened after Bangladesh asked Pakistan to withdraw two of its diplomats last year in connection with terror financing, and Pakistan, without giving any reason, asked Bangladesh to remove a Bangladeshi diplomat earlier this year.

AL leaders told the human chain that Pakistan and its "spy" Khaleda Zia were trying to destabilise Bangladesh.

They also asked Khaleda to go to Pakistan.