Shoe thrown at Pakistan mission in Bangladesh amid protests

A shoe was thrown at the Pakistan mission in Bangladesh during a protest against Islambad’s reaction over execution of an Islamist party leader convicted of war crimes in 1971, which is the first execution of a war criminal in the country.

Scores of protesters Wednesday evening gathered outside the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka’s Gulshan diplomatic enclave after they broke through barbed wire barricades.

The shoe was thrown by a protester who along with 50-60 protesters rushed to the embassy gate, chanting slogan “Joy Banla (Victory of Bengal).” The shoe-throwing incident was caught on Xinhua’s TV camera.

Police earlier managed to stop the protesters at a Gulsan intersection nearly 1 km away from the high commission office.

Being obstructed, the protesters staged demonstration at the intersection for nearly 15-20 minutes. The entire area was abuzz for minutes with anti-Pakistan slogans chanted by more than 1000 activists.

But at one point the marchers started to scuffle with law enforcers to defy the barricade and proceed towards the High Commission.

At least seven people including a leader of the protesting group — “Ganajagoron Moncha” (Rousing Stage) — were injured as they clashed with the law enforces to break at least two strong barricades to reach the High Commission.

Police later evicted the protesters from the Pakistan High Commission gate.