The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Different political parties yesterday strongly demanded of the caretaker government to try the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh for their role during the War of Liberation in 1971.

Awami League presidium member Suranjit Sen Gupta called upon the government to try the anti-independence elements and war criminals according to the War Criminal Act 1972.

He also urged the government to put the lists of the names of Razakars, Al-Badars and Al-Shams at National Mausoleum at Savar.

Talking to reporters at his residence in the city yesterday, Suranjit Sen Gupta said the Election Commission and the caretaker government were carrying on reforms in different sectors. In this context, the government might impose a ban on the participation of anti-independence elements and war criminals in the elections.

"Newspapers of that time can be used as evidence to prove who were the war criminals during the War of Liberation of 1971, and collecting information and photographs from the newspapers can be put at the National Mausoleum," he said. He said it is the right time to stop the politics of anti-independence elements and war criminals forever. After holding a dialogue with the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners at the EC Secretariat on Thursday, Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid told reporters that there was no existence of war criminals and anti-independence elements in the country. "Even there was no war criminals in the past," he said and added that Jamaat leaders were not 'war criminals.'

Mujahid's comments triggered the demand for trials of war criminals and anti-independence elements.

Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon termed Mujahid's remarks as 'a conspiracy like that of 1971.'

Speaking at a condolence meeting of slain Jubo Moitree leader Abdul Alim Khan at the city's East Badda yesterday morning, Menon alleged that Jamaat-Shibir cadres were behind the killing of Abdul Alim Khan.

Demanding the stern action against Jamaat-e-Islami, he said Jamaat killed the country's intellectuals in 1971. "Jamaat's Ameer Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohamamd Mujahid were directly involved in the killing of the intellectuals," he said.

Meanwhile, Jatiya Party (JP) Acting Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud yesterday said everyone knows what was the role of Jamaat-e-Islami during the Liberation War in 1971.

"They opposed our independence and killed our intellectuals. It is the universal fact of history. They can be tried according to the existing laws of the country. Since Jamaat-e-Islami leaders are war criminals, Jatiya Party would not accept their participation in the coming general elections in any way," he said.

BNP leader and Sector Commander during the War of Liberation in 1971 Lt Gen (Retd) Mir Shawkat Ali said the war criminals could easily be tried according to the existing laws of the country.

He said the war criminals are now saying that there was no war criminals in the past. "Perhaps, one day they will say there is no independence, there was no war of liberation, and there was no history of the War of Liberation," he said.

"Evidences against the war criminals are available in every village of Bangladesh. Let December 16 to come and you may witness a process of trial of the war criminals of 1971 starts," he said.

Noted lawyer Dr Zahir said the war criminals could be tried through setting up a commission. "The present government can constitute a commission to try the war criminals," he suggested.

Meanwhile, American News Agency (ANA) from New York reports: A rally of freedom fighters and expatriate Bangladeshis will be held at Bangla Garden at Astoria in New York City on November 11 demanding the trials of the killers of 1971. Swadhinata Chetona Muncha has declared the programme in protest against the remarks of Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid.

Swadhinata Chetona Muncha president Engr Khondaker Gias Uddin and secretary Helal Mahmud in a joint statement said it was the appropriate time to try the killers of 1971. "Only the caretaker government can materialize the dreams of people by trying the war criminals as it has been working for establishing the rule of law in Bangladesh," they said.