The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Sector Commanders of the 1971 Liberation War Friday said war criminals were benefited following the government obstruction to their planned freedom fighters' convention scheduled here for yesterday.

At a press conference at National Press Club they declared a defiant stand that despite restrictions, the sector commanders would hold their planned convention in this month of independence.

Sector Commander Air Vice-Marshall (retd) AK Khandaker, former Army Chief Lt Gen (retd) Harun-or-Rashid, Lt Gen (retd) Meer Sowkat Ali, former Army Chief Maj Gen (retd) KM Safiullah, Maj Gen (retd) C R Dutta and Lt Col (retd) Abu Usman Chowdhury, and Sub-sector Commanders and eminent freedom fighters were present at the press conference.

They cautioned that the government would have to "bear the responsibility if law-and-order situation is created at that time".

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Naim Ahmed Thursday said the government did not permit the Sector Commanders Forum to hold its convention at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center considering the matter of law-and-order situation.

Criticizing the government decision, the leading freedom fighters questioned whether those cancelled the permission are more powerful than the Chief Advisor, the Chief of the Army Staff and the Chief Election Commissioner.

They wanted to know who could cancel the convention after these three personalities sought trial of the war criminals.

Forum chief AK Khandaker said since the war crime is also a crime against the state, the government is to hold the trial of war criminals.

"The people of this country are united on the question of holding trial of the war criminals," he said, adding that the Forum's movement will continue.

Khandaker said they would seek permission from the government afresh. He warned that it is not the Sector Commanders but the government would be held responsible if any law-and-order situation is created over the holding of the convention this month.

Freedom fighters who attended the press conference lamented that today "fanatics" are bringing out procession in the street violating the state of emergency. But the government is not taking any action against them. They wondered whether the government is controlling the war criminals.

Meer Shawkat Ali said they assisted the government with all documents and statistics to hold the trial, but " we don't perceive why the government is not taking the initiative for the trial. The government must conceive who are its friends. Never make your friend your enemy."

KM Shafiullah said they had applied for permission two months before but the government refused the permission just 36 hours before the convention.