She also established the International Crimes Tribunal, a domestic court charged with bringing to justice some of the most egregious human rights violators from Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence.

WSJ: Sadanand Dhume: Bangladesh on the Brink

Mr Rahman has been accused by the governing Awami League of using his newspaper to encourage political demonstrations against a war crimes tribunal set up by the government to examine abuses allegedly committed by people who supported Pakistan during Bangladesh's independence war of 1971.

BBC: Bangladesh opposition editor Mahmudur Rahman arrested