The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers, including two former army chiefs at a roundtable meeting yesterday called for trying the war criminals of 1971 under the military rules by forming special military tribunals.

They said the war criminals are now roaming in Bangladesh, which was achieved through the supreme sacrifices of the freedom-fighters. They are now openly saying that there are no war criminals in the country. Time has come to raise voices against the war criminals. The army chief has also mentioned about the war criminals. War criminals cannot go to power in any country of the world. Unfortunately, it has happened in Bangladesh. Their cars carried the national flag.

Former Army Chief Lt Gen (Retd) Mustafizur Rahmand said the trial of the war criminals and collaborators is not possible under the existing laws. The trials of them could be held under the military rules as the war criminals and collaborators, known as Razakars had killed many soldiers of the Bangladesh Army and helped Pakistan occupation army by extending all kinds of supports, including information, he suggested.

He also requested Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed to take necessary initiatives to try the war criminals, including the leaders and members of Razakars, Al Badr and Al Shams under the court martial law.

"Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed assured the freedom fighters to try the war criminals of 1971. He will get a great place in the history if he holds the trials of war criminals. The whole nation will remain grateful to him," the former army chief said.

Muktijoddha Samannay Parishad organised the meeting titled "Pledges of the Liberation War and Present Bangladesh" at Colonel Taher auditorium at Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) office in the city.

With Muktijoddha Samannay Parishad chairman Abir Ahmed in the chair, the discussion was also participated by Awami League presidium member Tofail Ahmed, JSD president Hasanul Huq Inu, Communist Party general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, Sammayabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua, Mukjoddha Central Command Council chairman Principal Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, former Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Khondaker Ibrahim Khaled and Commander of the Sector No. 8 Col (Retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury, among others.

Referring to a book of General Niazi, Mustafizur Rahman said Pakistan Army handed down the death verdict on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman under the court martial for Bangabandhu's declaration of the independence at Faisalabad in the then West Pakistan in 1971.

"Since Bangabandhu's declaration of independence went against the sovereignty of Pakistan in 1971, he was tried under the military rules. The war criminals of 1971 also worked against the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh and they can also be tried in the same way," he observed.

Expressing regret, Lt Gen (Retd) Mutafizur Rahman said, "We could not punish our enemies after the independence. They utter Bangladesh, but they nurture Pakistan in their mind. Taking advantage at different times they attacked the country's constitution, democracy and sacred institutions. Jamaat leaders were involved in many wrongdoings, including war crime, militancy, and communal violence. That is why they don't deserve the right to exercise politics. The government has arrested political leaders on charge of corruption. We demand the war criminals should also be arrested. If a thief of ten years is arrested, a criminal of 36 years must also be arrested."

The former Army Chief observed that the advisers of the caretaker government were trying to protect the war criminals showing many lame excuses. "If they favour the war criminals, they will also fail in discharging their responsibilities," he said.

General Mustafiz said Golam Azam, Nizami, Mojaheed and Kader Molla were involved in war crimes. They must be arrested as soon as possible. Besides, the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami must have to be banned. Their trials should be initiated by forming special tribunals and commissions. If the BNP does not abandon Jamaat from their alliance, they would also be regarded as the collaborators of war criminals. The Election Commission should not register Jamaat as a political party, he said.

Taking part in the discussion, former Army Chief Maj Gen (Retd) KM Shafiullah Bir Uttam said the war criminals and their collaborators violated the constitution describing the War of Liberation as a civil war. They should be tried at military tribunals.

"We demand the arrest of all the war criminals of 1971 right now," he said.

Maj Gen (Retd) Shafiullah, who was also the commander of Sector No.3 during the War of Liberation in 1971, insisted on completion of the trials of brutal killings of Bangabandhu and four national leaders as quickly as possible.

Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed said there was no single example in the world's history that anti-liberation forces went to power, but in Bangladesh they succeeded to do so.

"We could not fulfill the dreams dreamt by the freedom fights in their liberated Bangladesh," he said.

"Now all forces and parties, and even many Islamic parties have become united in realising their demand of the trial of the war criminals and collaborators," he said.

Principal Abdul Ahad Chowdhury said the government would have to take the responsibility to try the war criminals at the special tribunals showing respect to the demands of the mass people.

Mujahidul Islam Selim said the government have to arrest the war criminals and try them at special tribunals for their role against the liberation war of 1971 and killing thousands of freedom fighters.

There are examples available in the world to try the war criminals after many years of the Second World War. So, it would not be very difficult to try the war criminals only 36 years after the country's independence, he observed.

JSD president Hasanul Haq Inu demanded banning the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh as the party is stands against democracy, constitution and Islam. They also misinterpret the holy Quran and Sunnah.

He also demanded of Election Commission not to register Jamaat as a political party.

Jamaat committed two offenses--one is sedition against the country by joining hands with the country's enemies in 1971 and committing war crimes by violating thousands of women, killing and torturing millions of people, he added.

Inu also urged all factions of BNP to severe relations with the war criminals.

The Caretaker Government had to take responsibility to bring the war criminals under the trial, as they brought the corruptions of 10 years ago under the trial.

Abu Osman Gani Chowdhury said if the mass people did not commit any mistake in 1971 by demanding the country's independence, they had also not committed the mistake this time by demanding the trials of war criminals.