BD cracks down on Islamists

DHAKA: Hundreds of hardline Islamists have been arrested by Bangladesh police over the past week, officials said on Sunday, after deadly protests against the visit of India’s Hindu-nationalist leader. At least 13 protesters died during the days-long demonstrations in late March over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The protests across several districts in Bangladesh were mostly led by the hardline Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam, whose members accused Modi of stoking communal violence against Muslims in India. Police said Mamunul Haque, 47, the firebrand joint secretary of Hefazat, was detained on Sunday after a top Islamic seminary in the capital Dhaka was raided.

"He was arrested over charges of violence by Hefazat-e-Islam," police spokesman Ifetkharul Islam told AFP. Haque was the seventh senior leader from Hefazat to be arrested this week, police said.