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Download PDF Seventy-one socio-cultural and professional organisations yesterday asked the caretaker government to set up special tribunals to try the war criminals of 1971 as soon as possible for the sake of holding a free and fair election in the country.
They also vowed to continue their united movement both in court and on the streets until the demand is fulfilled.
The joint declaration came at a press conference at the BILIA Centre in the capital.
Sector Commanders Forum Coordinator Lt Gen (retd) Harun-Ar-Rashid urged all organisations across the country to contact them to join the movement.
Forum Chairman Air Vice-Marshal (retd) AK Khandakar said 14 political parties have also extended their cooperation to press home the demand.
In the joint declaration, the organisations demanded immediate formation of a probe commission with terms of reference as per the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 to investigate the 1971 war crimes, crimes against humanity and mass killings. They asked the government to apply to the UN General Assembly for help in this regard and involve international jurists with the probe commission.
They demanded tagging of the commission with the tribunal and setting up of tribunals as per the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 through a gazette notification pledging trial of all crimes that took place during the Liberation War in 1971.
As the war criminals have not been tried, they have become daring enough to make statements against the state and its sovereignty, they observed.
“We think Jamaat should be tried not only on charges of war crimes but also sedition,” the joint declaration said. “We hope that the present government will prepare a list of the war criminals and initiate the process for their trial before holding the next election.”
The declaration said the post-independence government led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did never forgive the war criminals and rather enacted several laws and amended the constitution to try them.
A total of 11,000 war criminals were detained at that time and their trial process was also initiated. But, after assuming power in 1975 Gen Ziaur Rahman cancelled the Collaborators Act and stopped the trial of the war criminals, the declaration added.
It said although there is no Collaborators Act now, the trial of the war criminals including collaborators of the Pakistani occupation forces–Razakars, Al-Badr and Al-Shams–is possible under the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act.
Terming the lack of initiatives to try the war criminals after the assassination of Bangabandhu a bad luck for the nation, it said, “But that does not mean that there are no war criminals in the country or their trial has been completed.”
It said top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami could not be arrested or brought to justice after the Liberation War since they were absconding in Pakistan. But Jamaat leaders are again conspiring against the country and delivering anti-state statements, so it has become more important than any time in the past to try them now.
It said since the state was victimised rather than any individual, it is the duty of the state to file cases against the war criminals and bring them to book.
The declaration observed that the trial of the war criminals is associated with the political reforms initiated by the caretaker government.
“The war criminals must be tried and we think trying them is a must in the interest of holding an acceptable election in the country,” AK Khandakar, deputy commander of the liberation forces in 1971, told the audience at the press conference.
He said they will continue their movement until the demand for trying the war criminals is met. He added that the Sector Commanders Forum will hold a grand rally in the capital before March 26 next year to press home their demand.
Replying to a query, he said 14 political parties have pledged to include the demand for trying the war criminals in their electoral manifestos.
Lt Gen (retd) Harun-Ar-Rashid said they will hold discussion in all divisional headquarters and districts to gain public support for the demand.
Prof Kabir Chowdhury, president of the Advisory Council of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, said they will not stop street agitations until the demand is met.
Justice KM Sobhan, president of South Asian People’s Union Against Fundamentalism and Communalism, urged people not to file any case with the criminal court against any war criminals. “Their trial is only possible under special tribunals,” he said.
Shahriar Kabir, Nasir Uddin Yusuff, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Hena Das, barrister Shafiq Ahmed, Shahin Reza Noor, Prof Ajay Roy, Kamal Lohani, Ahad Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the press conference.
Organisations that signed the joint declaration include Sector Commanders Forum, Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, Peshajibi Samannay Parishad, Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, Bangladesh Gonotantrik Ainjibi Samity, Sammilito Ainjibi Samannay Parishad, Sammilito Nagorik Andolon, Projanmo Ekattor, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Gosthi, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Sammilito Samajik Andolon, War Crimes Facts Finding Committee, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad, Muktijoddha Oikya Parishad, Muktijoddha Sanghati Parishad, Bangladesh College University Teachers’ Association, Bangladesh Economic Association, Jatiya Shikkhak Karmachari Front, and Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation.
December 30th, 2007 at 3:25 am
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December 30th, 2007 at 7:43 am
We must not look back.All of us are equally responsible for letting these criminals survive and frustrate our national development. We the freedom fighters or the planted agents of Pakistan Army killed Bangabandhu and valiant freedom fighters Ziaur Rahman, Khaled Musharraf, Manjoor, Taher, Huda and Hyder.Innumerable freedom fighters were killed systematically on the soil of independent Bangladesh. But none of noted Razakar got killed or punished.They grew like mushrooms and spread in all direction. Financially they are very strong. They have cadre in Army. Police and all Government organization and agencies. We witnessed Shah Azizur Rahman as PM, Nizammee and Muzahid as ministers. What could we do ? The present government despite of sympathy may not be able to try these beasts.
We must organize ourselves with all evidences. Strong public opinion must be created. Major political parties must clear their vision about this in their election agenda. People must vote these elements out of politics for ever and then elected government must try them as soon as possible.