Bangladesh deployed troops in the north of the country Sunday after 16 more people were killed in a fresh wave of violence over the conviction of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for war crimes in the Muslim-majority nation.

Thirteen were shot dead in the north and northeast and one policeman was killed in clashes with protesters in the western district of Jhenidah, police officials told AFP, adding two people were killed late Saturday.In the northern district of Bogra at least 10,000 protesters armed with sticks, home-made bombs and other weapons attacked five police stations, forcing police to open fire on them, police Inspector Shamsul Haq said.

They came from the villages in several groups and attacked our stations in the dawn. Seven people were killed in Bogra district including three who were killed in the worst-affected Shahjahanpur (town)," he told AFP.Troops have been deployed in Shahjahanpur to strengthen security, he said. Four people were shot dead in the northwestern town of Godagari after police and border guards opened fire on thousands of protesters from the Jamaat-e-Islami party after they attacked police with sticks and stones, the area police chief said.

The death toll in the clashes over the war crimes verdicts has risen to 72 since the first was announced on January 21, police said, including 56 killed in the four days since Jamaat's vice president was sentenced to death.Delwar Hossain Sayedee was Thursday found guilty of murder, religious persecution and rape during the 1971 independence war against Pakistan. The sentence triggered violent clashes across the country between rampaging Jamaat supporters and police.The 73-year-old firebrand preacher was the third person to be convicted by the war crimes tribunal.