DHAKA: Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Thursday kicked off weeklong countrywide demonstrations demanding release of its detained leaders and activists, the top four of them now facing war-crime trial.

On Wednesday, Jamaat acting secretary-general ATM Azharul Islam announced the program at a news conference at the party central office in the city.

Meanwhile, Jamaat asked all units of the party to execute the program and also sought people’s cooperation in making it a “success”.

Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary-General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee were arrested on June 29 on charges of hurting religious sentiments of Muslims through their blasphemous comments.

Later, party assistant secretaries-general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Mollah were arrested from the High Court gate on July 13 in a murder-and-arson case filed with Pallabi thana by an injured freedom fighter in January 2008.
    
Many other leaders and activists of the Islamic party have also been rounded up from across the country in a cracking action on various charges.      

BDST: 1442 HRS, 29 JULY 2010