Bangladesh News

The demand for trying war criminals has become a national issue and the government must make its response, speakers at a roundtable yesterday said.

They said the trial of war criminals is required to establish justice in the society.

Mentioning that representatives of the anti-liberation war element Jamaat-e-Islami have penetrated different organs of the government as well as the armed forces, speakers observed that the government has turned its back on its earlier stance regarding the trial of war criminals.

Dainik Prothom Alo at its auditorium at the city’s Karwan Bazar organised the roundtable titled “Let’s start the process of trying war criminals”.

The speakers–liberation war heroes, eminent educationists, university teachers, human rights activists, writers, poets, cultural activists, journalists–urged all to socially boycott the anti-liberation war elements and war criminals.

They said their demand for bringing the war criminals to book is not an act of vengeance but an effort to ensure justice in society.

They said that at least a token trial of war criminals should be held.

National Professor Kabir Chowdhury, President of Sector Commanders Forum (SCF) and Air Vice-marshal (retd) AK Khandker, Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah, Prof Anisuzzaman, former army chief Lt Gen (retd) M Harun-ar-Rashid, President of Group Theatre Federation M Hamid, Rashid Haider, Prof Muntasir Mamun, Prof Anwar Hossain, Prof Ajay Roy, journalist Ataus Samad, poet Nirmalendu Goon, Mofidul Haq, Selina Hossain, Convener of War Crimes Fact Finding Committee MA Hasan, Nasiruddin Yusuf, Hamida Hossain, Shahriar Kabir, journalist Sahin Reza Nur, cultural activist Mahmuduzzaman Babu spoke on the occasion among others.

Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and Joint Editor Abdul Quayum were the moderators.

Prof Kabir Chowdhury in his inaugural speech raised questions about the sincerity of the caretaker government in bringing the war criminals to book.

“There is nothing more important than trying the war criminals,” the veteran educationist said. He urged the government to form special tribunals under International Crimes (tribunals) Act, 1973 and start the process of trial of war criminals.

Making reference to the South African truth and reconciliation commission, Kabir said those who are talking about establishing truth and reconciliation commission and forgive the war criminals through the commission are not right.

“How the question of forgiving the war criminals through the truth commission can come up when they [war criminals] do not admit their crimes,” Kabir said.

Deputy chief of the Liberation War forces and Chairman of SCF AK Khandker said the demand for trying war criminals has become the demand of the entire nation and the government will have to respond to it.

He said this country has become a failed state as it has failed to bring the war criminals who killed the best sons of this soil to justice.

Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah urged all to boycott the anti-liberation war forces and war criminals.

He said representatives of anti-liberation war element Jamaat-e-Islami have lodged themselves in government offices.

Prof Anisuzzaman in his speech urged the government to form special tribunals to try war criminals and to involve the international community in the process so that questions of bias do not arise.

Shahriar Kabir said power and strength of the anti-liberation war forces have increased as we failed to bring them to book.

Hamida Hossein urged all to collect documents and information on war criminals and to preserve them.

Nasiruddin Yusuf alleged that the government has turned its back on its earlier position to try the war criminals.

“The government earlier said war criminals should be brought to justice but now the government is saying that they cannot do it, raising questions about its honesty in this regard,” he said.

Lt Gen (retd) Harun-ar-Rashid, Prof Ajay Roy, Muntasir Mamum, Nirmalendu Goon also echoed Nasiruddin.

“As the present government is talking about establishing justice in the society so, they should start the process of trying the war criminals,” MA Hasan said.

Ataus Samad hoped that the war criminals will be tried sooner or later.

Prof Muntasir Mamun said the present caretaker government will not take any initiative to try the war criminals. He said trial of war criminals is not possible without involving political parties in the process.

Prof Anwar Hossain said, “Agents of Jamaat-e-Islami and the anti-liberation war elements penetrated various levels of the state and the armed forces.”

He alleged that state itself and one of its strong wings the armed forces are the main obstacle to trying the war criminals.

Lt Gen (retd) Harun said war criminals and anti-liberation war elements do not have any right to live in this country.

Referring to a different issue, the former army chief said, “It is said that president Zia had breakfast with one hand and signed execution orders with the other hand.”