Blast at procession celebrating Quasem's death penalty

A procession celebrating the death verdict awarded to Mir Quasem Ali, a top leader of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami, for crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War, was hit by an explosion Sunday, a media report said.

Supporters of Ganajagaran Mancha were headed towards the Shaheed Minar when a hand bomb was thrown at them, bdnews24.com quoted police officer A.K.M. Mohiuddin Selim as saying.

A rickshaw-puller and a photographer were injured in the blast, he said.

Quasem, an executive council member of Jamaat-e-Islami, was sentenced to death for his role in the murders, abductions, confinement and torture of those in favour of Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971.

Those against the judgment were behind this attack, Ganajagaran Mancha coordinator Sharif Chouhan said.

Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling Awami League's student front, also took out a march celebrating Quasem's verdict.

On Wednesday, Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami was also sentenced to death by a court.

Quasem's defence counsel said they will appeal against the verdict.