Bangladeshi police gather near a car set ablaze by Islamist protesters during clashes on Monday, May 6. Police broke up a protest of tens of thousands of religious hardliners and shut down an Islamist television station Monday after battles in the streets of Dhaka. <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2013%2F05%2F05%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Fbangladesh-clashes%2Findex.html">Demonstrations calling for religious laws</a>, led by the ultraconservative group Hefazat-e-Islam (Protectors of Islam), have been building since February.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police gather near a car set ablaze by Islamist protesters during clashes on Monday, May 6. Police broke up a protest of tens of thousands of religious hardliners and shut down an Islamist television station Monday after battles in the streets of Dhaka. Demonstrations calling for religious laws, led by the ultraconservative group Hefazat-e-Islam (Protectors of Islam), have been building since February.
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Bangladeshi police escort Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi, an Islamic leader and Hefazat-e-Islam movement veteran, from Dhaka on May 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police escort Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi, an Islamic leader and Hefazat-e-Islam movement veteran, from Dhaka on May 6.
STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images
Rapid Action Battalion personnel stand guard following a clash between police and Islamists in Dhaka on May 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Rapid Action Battalion personnel stand guard following a clash between police and Islamists in Dhaka on May 6.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi people look at burned religious literature, including the Quran, near the national mosque Baitul Mukarram in Dhaka on May 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi people look at burned religious literature, including the Quran, near the national mosque Baitul Mukarram in Dhaka on May 6.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
A Bangladeshi man extinguishes a blaze at a building near the national mosque Baitul Mukarram in Dhaka on May 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
A Bangladeshi man extinguishes a blaze at a building near the national mosque Baitul Mukarram in Dhaka on May 6.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Islamist protesters gather on a highway at an entry point to the city as as part of their protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Sunday, May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Islamist protesters gather on a highway at an entry point to the city as as part of their protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Sunday, May 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi police charge at Islamists with batons during clashes on May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police charge at Islamists with batons during clashes on May 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Hefazat-e-Islami activists attend a rally on May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Hefazat-e-Islami activists attend a rally on May 5.
STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi police detain a protester on May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police detain a protester on May 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Police walk past a fire set by Islamist protesters on May 5 during clashes with police.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Police walk past a fire set by Islamist protesters on May 5 during clashes with police.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Islamist demonstrators pray during protests on May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Islamist demonstrators pray during protests on May 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi police fire rubber bullets at demonstrators from an armored car on May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police fire rubber bullets at demonstrators from an armored car on May 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Civilians carry an injured protester on May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Civilians carry an injured protester on May 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Islamist protesters run as Bangladeshi police fire rubber bullets on May 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Islamist protesters run as Bangladeshi police fire rubber bullets on May 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
A Bangladeshi protester shouts during a rally on April 8 against the strike called by Hefazat-e-Islam. <strong><em>Correction:</em></strong><em> An earlier version of this caption misstated what this woman was protesting. It implied she was supporting the conservative Islamist movement that called the strike.</em>
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
A Bangladeshi protester shouts during a rally on April 8 against the strike called by Hefazat-e-Islam. Correction: An earlier version of this caption misstated what this woman was protesting. It implied she was supporting the conservative Islamist movement that called the strike.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
A man rides a bicycle past a bus set on fire during a clash with Jamaat-e-Islami activists in Rajshahi on February 28.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
A man rides a bicycle past a bus set on fire during a clash with Jamaat-e-Islami activists in Rajshahi on February 28.
Stringer/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi police personnel stand guard during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on February 24.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police personnel stand guard during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on February 24.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi Islamist activists shout inside the Baitul Mukarram national mosque in Dhaka on February 22. Protesters in Dhaka and in other majority Muslim countries asked that bloggers defaming Islam and Prophet Mohammed be punished.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi Islamist activists shout inside the Baitul Mukarram national mosque in Dhaka on February 22. Protesters in Dhaka and in other majority Muslim countries asked that bloggers defaming Islam and Prophet Mohammed be punished.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi police detain Islamist activists during clashes in Dhaka on February 22.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police detain Islamist activists during clashes in Dhaka on February 22.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi police detain an Islamist activist during clashes in Dhaka on February 22.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police detain an Islamist activist during clashes in Dhaka on February 22.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
An Islamic party activist shouts during a rally in Dhaka on February 20.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
An Islamic party activist shouts during a rally in Dhaka on February 20.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Tens of thousands of people join a sit-in at Shahbagh Square in Dhaka on February 15 to demand the death penalty for war crimes.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Tens of thousands of people join a sit-in at Shahbagh Square in Dhaka on February 15 to demand the death penalty for war crimes.
Farid Ahmed
An effigy of a snake in a demonstration demanding the death sentence for the country's war criminals in Dhaka on February 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
An effigy of a snake in a demonstration demanding the death sentence for the country's war criminals in Dhaka on February 6.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi social activists and bloggers in Dhaka use newspapers as hats during a demonstration demanding death sentences for war criminals on February 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi social activists and bloggers in Dhaka use newspapers as hats during a demonstration demanding death sentences for war criminals on February 6.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi police detain a suspected Jamaat-e-Islami activist during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on February 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi police detain a suspected Jamaat-e-Islami activist during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on February 6.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi social activists and bloggers participate in a torch-lit rally on February 6 in Dhaka.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi social activists and bloggers participate in a torch-lit rally on February 6 in Dhaka.
STR/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladeshi social activists and bloggers demonstrate in Dhaka on February 6.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Bangladeshi social activists and bloggers demonstrate in Dhaka on February 6.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Activists and former freedom fighters who fought against Pakistan in the 1971 war demonstrate outside the court in Dhaka on February 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Activists and former freedom fighters who fought against Pakistan in the 1971 war demonstrate outside the court in Dhaka on February 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Rapid Action Battalion personnel keep watch outside the International Crimes Tribunal court in Dhaka on February 5.
Deadly Islamist riots rock Bangladesh —
Rapid Action Battalion personnel keep watch outside the International Crimes Tribunal court in Dhaka on February 5.
MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images