Shahbag Movement: Shahbag is no ordinary place in Dhaka city. Its a place that reminds us the great achievements as Bangladeshi.

This place is the witness of all glory of our country. Shahbag has now new meaning. Shahbag is not just e place its a place of national unity its a place of national glory. From the Shahbag movement Bangladesh is united once again and once again youth came to take part. Beginning of the Revolution: It all began with a victory sign, When Abdul Quader Mollah, assistant secretary-general of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami party, emerged from the Supreme Court on the afternoon of Tuesday 4 February, he turned to the press waiting outside, smiled, and made a victory sign. An odd reaction for a man just sentenced to life in prison. Mollah smiled because for him, a man convicted of beheading a poet, raping an 11-year-old girl and shooting 344 people during the 1971 Bangladesh war of independence charges that have earned him the nickname the Butcher of Mirpur the life sentence came as a surprise. Earlier this month, a fellow accused, Abul Kalam Azad, who is reputed to have fled to Pakistan, was sentenced to death . When Mollah emerged from the courthouse, a group of online activists and bloggers assembled to protest against the verdict, demanding that Mollah, like Azad, be given the death sentence. They set up camp in Shahbag, an intersection at the heart of Dhaka, near the university campus, and staged a small sit-in. Word spread on Facebook and Twitter. The next day, a few news channels began covering their protest. By the end of the week, they had managed to put together the biggest mass demonstration the country has seen in 20 years. The movement centred around Shahbag, which have renamed Projonmo Chottor (New Generation Roundabout) shows no sign of abating. It reached its peak on Friday, when the organisers called a grand rally. Numbers vary, but are estimated to have been anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000. Historical Context: The call for Mollah's death is about more than revenge. He committed his crimes during Bangladesh's nine-month struggle for independence from Pakistan in 1971. Mollah and the 11 others who stand trial with him 10 of whom are members of Jamaat-e-Islami are accused of collaborating in war crimes with the Pakistani army. Between March and December of that year, the Pakistani army unleashed a campaign of mass murder against Bangladeshi civilians.

Role of print and electronic media

The role of media in Shahbagh cannot be described in words. Most of the print media and electronic media supported and followed this protest from beginning. Electronic media set up live telecast of the protest in every hours of news. Print media also published news about the protest. While most media outlets followed the protests from the start, some pro-Jamaat-e-Islami news outlets reported the movement as being some kind of "well-orchestrated play made by the government. International media also did not stay quite as BBC, CNN, Yahoo! News, Reuters, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, The Independent and others have published news about the protests. The Bangla version of BBC has been closely followed the events. In any way people are encouraged and sparkled by the media about the movement. With live news updates and informative articles about the movement surly touch many hearts. The result is hundred thousand people gathering for death penalty on war criminal. There was full of people from all classes, gender, religion and profession. There are students from schools, colleges, universities and medical colleges; teachers from different institutes as well as general people of all age and profession. They have gathered at Shahbag square for one single demand, Hang the war criminals until death. Hundred Thousand of people relived the spirit of liberation war , this slogan once again used to lift the spirits of movement just like liberation war. Newspaper played a vital role to educate people about Shahbag while electronic media did great to focus on whats really happened in Shahbag. A newspaper printed some news that hurts ordinary Muslim citizen the newspaper tried to break the monument of the spirit of people joining Shahbag by addressing it as a place for atheists. That creates some diversion in the mind of religion loving people in Bangladesh, but spirit of the movement was strong enough to recover from this kind of misrepresentation of news and the leaders of Shahbag able to convince the people this movement was not run by atheists. , this slogan stormed Shahbag movement and provides new strength in the movement.

Role of social media With the spark from the social media, Shahbag turned into a protest, demanding the capital punishment for 1971 war criminals. Shahbag protest has turned into a strict demand, searching only for the death penalty for all those who committed war crimes. The spark erupted after Abdul Quader Molla, the secretary general of Bangladesh's Islamist party Jamaat-e Islami was sentenced to life in prison for murder, rape, torture and other crimes committed during the 1971 liberation war. With the verdict, Shahbag turned into Tahrir Square in Bangladesh. The protest started from this Facebook event is titled: " Protest against the Ruling Made for Quader Mulla". there were more than 12,000 Facebook users who were attending the event. Their only demand from dawn to dusk is to change the verdict. The Facebook event was created by Bloggers and Online Activists Network (BOAN) in order to protest against the verdict. Facebook

still continues to play a major role in the protest as users of Facebook spread their message through video, photos and words. Many Facebook groups started to spread words of small emphasis in order to spur the attention of the media towards the other direction. Faraeji Andolon, Converse News, and Basherkella are three of those Facebook groups that has started to spread various biased news supporting the Jamaat. They are spreading news of one of the main leaders of the campaign being hurt by other members of the same group. #shahbag has become one of the important hashtags in Twitter. An online radio has also been started to protest against the ruling that alludes to the Swadhin Bangla Betar that gave the Bangladeshis news during 1971.

Analysis
Timeline of Shahbag Movement and News reports about Shahbag Movement

February 5th: Day 1 All starts from this day and On this day ICT-2 verdict's on the war crimes case against Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah declared life imprisonment in two cases, 15 year jail in 3 cases and one case is not proven in six specific charges for his alleged involvement in murders and mass killings during the Liberation War in 1971.The protest resumed from afternoon at Shahbag, when the sit-in started as an online activists group, Blogger and Online Activists Network (BOAN), gave a call through online social networks to wage protests against the verdict against Quader Mollah by the International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) sentencing him to life term imprisonment for his war crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971. News report of local media (newspapers) The Daily Star -- Quader Mollah gets LIFE TERM The Daily Star -- LIFE TERM Not enough: MUNTASSIR MAMOON The Independent -- Quader Molla sentenced to life imprisonment The New Age -- Quader Molla handed life term The Daily Sun -- Life term for Quader Mollah Bdnews24.com -- Molla sentenced to life in jail The Financial Express -- Quader Mollah gets life-term International Media: BBC -- Abdul Kader Mullah gets life sentence for war crimes The Reuters -- Bangladesh Islamist sentenced to life in prison for war crimes

The Guardian -- Bangladesh jails Islamic party leader for life Los Angel Times -- Bangladesh war crimes court jails Islamic party leader for life The New York Times: Bangladesh: Life Sentence in War Crimes Trial 6th February : Day 2 On this day although Jamaat-e-islami called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal for the second day, protesting the verdict against their leader is illegal, there was nothing noticeable than the Shahbag issue. Shibir got involved in minute vandalism and conflicts with the police in the morning in the capital. The demonstrators painted streets, made banners, drew cartoons and hanged effigies of war crime suspects including Mollah at Shahbag with a vow to sustain their protest until their demand is met. People rallied from Shahbag to TSC with candles and banners chanting against the ICT-2 verdict. They chanted slogans such as "Fashi Chai,Fashi Chai", "Koshai Quaderer Jabojjibon Shaja Manina" Few reports of the daily news papers both from home and abroad: Prothom alo: Philadelphia Inquirer: Protests hit Bangladesh after war crimes verdict The Globe and Mail: Bangladeshi protesters demand execution of Islamist leader The Daily Star: Summary of verdict in Quader Mollah case 7th February: Day 3 The energetic crowd at citys Shahbag that was surging with vigor in the grand demonstration on Thursday vowed to continue their demonstration until the execution order against Quader Mollah is delivered. Few news about Shahbagh movement on 7th February Prothom alo: Global Voices: Bangladesh: Protesters Demand Capital Punishment for 1971 War Criminals The Star (Malaysia): Protesters demand death for Bangladesh war crimes Islamist The Independent: Thousands join Shahbagh vigil for Quader Mollas death sentence Daily Sun: Sit-in for Mollahs death penalty enters 3rd day

8th February 2013: day 4 On this day The elated protesters from all race, religion and community on Friday demanded ban on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the countrys largest Islamic party, and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, at Shahbag. News reports by home and abroad media: The Independent: Death to war criminals The Daily Star: Vow to boycott Jamaat Institutions BBC:Huge Bangladesh rally seeks death penalty for war crimes BDNews24.com: Teeming thousands chant Hang them all

February 9, 2013: Day 5 An issue swirled among the demonstrators all day long: there is a little chance for the government to ask for an appeal. The government is taking initiative to go for a correction in the ICT law 1973,21 section - 2. After five days the protesters at Shahbag were seen as prompt as before. Literally, voice decibels are mounting day-by-day. The number of participants in the spontaneous demonstration was on the rise a day after their grand rally, comprising freshblooded generation in majority. Some Lead news of 9th February NTD Television: Bangladesh Stands Up Against War Crimes The Daily Star: Youths rekindle spirit of '71 BDNews24.com: Voices rise across Bangladesh The Daily Star: Shahbagh protests continue Prothom alo:

February 10, 2013: Day 6 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday's Parliament session appreciated the vigorous spirit of the youths at Shahbag. In her speech she assured that the demand of people has to be materialized, as they think the verdict is unfair. REUTERS:Bangladesh to amend war crimes law amid protests: minister Prothom alo: - ESPN/Cricinfo: Top cricketers visit Dhaka protest rally

February 11, 2013: Day 7

On this day The morning session of the procession started as the other days with people accumulating at the centre of the 'Prajanma Chattar'. As the day passed students from nineteen schools and colleges joined the demonstration. Some lead news of this day was: CNN iReport: Rise and Rise Youth of Bangladesh: You Have Nothing To Fear But Your Own Power The Daily Star: Bombs explode at Mymensingh protest BDNews24.com: Sayedees son detained along with 3 others February 12, 2013: Day 8 Shahbag protesters have called upon the countrymen to observe a three-minute silence from 4:00pm on Tuesday to press home their demand for death penalty for war criminals.

The Guardian: Shahbag protesters versus the Butcher of Mirpur The New York Times: Politics in Bangladesh Jolted by Huge Protests BDNews24.com: 'Massive' Shibir attack on JU BDNews24.com: Bill to ban Jamaat on way The Daily Star: Hit-and-run violence grips city February 13, 2013: Day 9 Pohela Falgun celebrations are set to store by the protest at Shahbag. People have gathered in huge numbers to attend the Shahbag demonstration which is being held for eight days since the verdict of war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah.

Forbes: The Female Factor: Bangladesh Protests Break Boundaries The Indian Express: Bangladesh witnesses violence over war crimes trial BDNews24.com: Spring of protest BDNews24.com: ICT law amendment bill tabled

February 14, 2013: Day 10 The country has experienced the unity once again on Thursday as the people all over Bangladesh lit candles at 7:00pm. The nation gets illuminated in the evening by millions of candles to pay homage to the martyrs of 1971. The decision was announced a day earlier. The Guardian: Bangladesh's 'Tahrir Square' protest demands death for war criminals BBC: Thousands protest over war crimes tribunal BDNews24.com: Form anti-Razakar brigade The Daily Star: Nation lights up millions of candles The Daily Star: Wide coverage in int'l media February 15, 2013: Day 11 News of this day: BDNews24: Shahbagh protester killed The Express Tribune: Shahbag Square why we Pakistanis dont know and dont care Asia Online: Dhaka war crimes protest gains ground BDNews24.com: Uprising Rally set for Friday February, 16 2013: Day 12 The heavily stabbed body of Rajib, the 30-year-old blogger and activist of the ongoing Shahbag movement in demand of capital punishment to the war criminals, was found Friday night near his residence at Pallabi in the capital. The Guardian: The agonies of Bangladesh come to London The New York Times: Vast Throng in Bangladesh Protests Killing of Activist CNN: Bangladesh war crimes verdict protests turn deadly The New York Times: Bangladesh: 3 Protesters Shot Dead The Wall Street Journal: Bangladeshi Blogger Slain as Protests Sweep Capital The Daily Star: Desperate, dangerous. Jamaat, Shibir try a few tricks to counter Shahbagh outrage February 17, 2013: Day 13 This morning the whole nation sang the national anthem and raised the national flag wholeheartedly to support the Shahbag movement. Shahbag protesters called to abort Jamaat's hartal on Monday. Meanwhile people have gathered in huge numbers to attend to Shahbag demonstration which is held for 12 consecutive days long since the verdict of war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah

BBC: Bangladesh protests trigger changes to war crimes law The Guardian: Bangladesh parliament amends war crime law to challenge sentence Reuters: Bangladesh amends war crimes law, mulls banning Islamists AFP: Bangladesh shuts Islamist website after blogger murder BDNews24: Law passed for Jamaat trial Fenruary 18, 2013: Day 14 Demonstrators at Shabag called upon the people to write letters commemorating the martyrs of the Liberation War and tie those with balloons and release in the air at 4:13pm tomorrow, the moment the Pakistani forces surrendered on 16 December 1971 The Wall Street Journal: Bangladesh Protesters Press for Islamist Party Ban Deutsche-Welle: War Crimes-Will ban on Islamic party heal wounds? BDNews24: Ghulam Azam was mastermind Epoch Times (in Chinese): Bangladesh protests subtidal repair the war crimes bill

February 19, 2013: Day 15 Large processions are meeting at Shahbag Projonmo Chottor every now and then. Relentless slogans from the central Gonojagoron Moncha demanding ban on fundamentalist Jamaat -eIslami, avenging Rajib Haiders death and for execution of war criminals continued unabated Al Jazeera: Bangladesh war crimes protests continue Toronto Sun: No one sings Bangladesh anymore CNN-IBN: Bangladesh remains tense as three die in Jamaat-e-Islami's countrywide bandh BDNews24: Media blackout: Why isnt the world acknowledging Shahbagh? The Independent: The war Bangladesh can never forget February 20, 2013: Day 16 In this day protestors of Shahbag release balloons in the sky with a letter for 3 million the martyrs of the war of liberation. BDNews24: Dhaka Reporters' Unity slates attack on Sumon The Daily Star: Shahbagh sky takes hues The New Indian Express: Perpetrators of 1971 war crimes must be punished The Daily Star: Out with a new trick? Financial Express: It's time to ban Jama'at politics: Grand Alliance The Daily Star: War Tribunal: Mojaheed involved in killing a dozen

February 21, 2013: Day 17 The non-stop protest that trembled the nation comes to an end at the seventeenth day, Thursday at Shahbag Square, after thousands participated the grand demonstration on International Mother Language Day. The Daily Star: Target Friday: Govt takes steps to thwart Jamaat's bid for anarchy CNN-IBN: Dhaka: Protesters demand severe punishment for 1971 war-crime accused BDNews24: Massive sabotage feared this month New Age: Work together to free country from Razakars: PM The Financial Express: (Even ;-) Ershad wants ban on Jama'at, Shibir politics The Indian Express: Protest tide in Dhaka as Bangla remembers language martyrs Hindustan Times: Shahbagh: A festival left hanging

Referecne: www.thedailystar.net www.theindependentbd.com/ www.daily-sun.com/ www.prothom-alo.com/ www.bbc.co.uk/bengali/ www. shahbagmovement.com www.ndtv.com/article/world/ www.tazakhobor.com/ www.newagebd.com