Trackback URL
Download PDF Judges, lawyers, retired army personnel and academicians yesterday demanded that the caretaker government form a commission and a special tribunal to try the criminals of 1971.
The commission would identify the war criminals and collect evidence of their crimes, which would help the special tribunal to put them on trial, they said.
Besides, cases against the war criminals should be filed by the government, and not by individuals, for trial by the special tribunal. Otherwise, the goals of independence cannot be achieved, and conspiracy against independent Bangladesh will not end, the speakers said at a discussion on war criminals yesterday.
Projanma Ekattor organised the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
The caretaker government should take initiative for trial of the war criminals, the speakers said.
Some of the speakers, who were involved with the people’s inquiry commission formed in 1993 to find out evidence of war crimes of 16 people, said a government -formed commission can collect information, documents, data and evidence much more than the previous one formed on private initiatives. And thus it can greatly help the special tribunal in trying the war criminals, they noted.
Shaheed Janani (mother of martyr) Jahanara Imam had initiated formation of the 1993 commission comprising eminent citizens and headed by poet Sufia Kamal.
The commission published two probe reports in 1994 and 1995 on the activities of 16 war criminals and collaborators of occupation forces. They include Abbas Ali Khan, Matiur Rahman Nizami, Mohammad Quamruzzaman, Abdul Alim, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Maulana Abdul Mannan, Anwar Zahid, Abdul Quader Molla, ASM Solaiman, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Abdus Sobhan, AKM Yusuf, Mohammad Ainuddin, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, Dr Syed Sajjad Hossain and ABM Khaleque Majumder.
Speakers at yesterday’s discussion said if the government forms a commission, it could also take help from the finding of the people’s inquiry commission.
The probe reports of the 1993 commission were based on reports published in different newspapers, accounts of the victims and statements of witnesses.
The reports said Matiur Rahman Nizami carried out a wide range of activities against the Liberation War in 1971. Under his direct supervision and leadership, the infamous Al Badr was formed to eliminate top pro-liberation intellectuals and academics. Nizami was its chief.
The probe reports could be of much help to a government-formed commission in carrying out its task.
Prof Anisuzzaman proposed that the caretaker government should form a commission to make a list of war criminals through investigation.
The commission would also collect evidence about crimes committed by the war criminals, he said while addressing the discussion meeting.
“After collecting evidence through investigation, the commission will submit a report to the special tribunal which will try the war criminals,” he said.
Journalist and Columnist Shahriar Kabir said the government can take initiatives to file cases against the war criminals. State initiatives against war criminals will be more effective than an individual’s initiatives.
“Government may form a commission for collecting evidence and information about bank accounts of the war criminals. It should also form special tribunal which will be provided with the commission’s reports for trying the war criminals of 1971,” he said.
Justice Golam Rabbani said the people, who opposed the liberation war and killed people, should be brought to book.
“The government should file cases against the war criminals because the issue is related with our independence and sovereignty,” he said.
He also said if the war criminals are not brought to justice, Bangladesh can not be saved from their conspiracy.
Justice KM Sobahan said the trial of war criminals will be possible by enforcing the existing law and forming special tribunal.
Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam said the war criminals must be tried during the rule of the present caretaker government as the previous government failed to bring them to book.
General (Retd) Harun-ur-Rashid said he would file cases against some war criminals and the caretaker government should pay more attention to the issue.
Journalist ABM Musa and Prof Ajoy Roy, among others, were present.
Comments are not moderated and only expresses personal views of visitors. BangladeshNews.com.bd is not responsible for commets posted by visitors.
Leave a Reply