| Bangladesh | ||||
| EU supports war crime trial, wants fairness | ||||
| 2009-05-28 | ||||
[Bangla Daily Star] The European Union (EU) has supported the trial of the war criminals of 1971 and urged the authorities to carry out the trial process maintaining international standards.
Swedish Ambassador Britt F Hagstrom who heads EU in Bangladesh, said "EU recognises the support for bringing war criminals of the 1971 Liberation War to justice as reflected in the relevant parliamentary resolution." Stressing that the EU has a record of strong support to efforts to bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice, Hagstrom said, "it is for Bangladesh to determine how the judicial process will be mobilised in this regard." She also stressed that the trial process should be carried out to international standards. Earlier, Vice-Chairman of the SCF Maj Gen (retd) KM Safiullah briefed the EU envoys about the historical background of the Bangladesh's war criminals and pointed out how these atrocities by Pakistani army and their local collaborators remained unpunished during the last four decades.
SFC Vice President Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta, its General Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Harun-Ar-Rashid, ambassador Anwarul Alam Shahid, Col (retd) Shamsul Alam, Maj Gen (retd) Jamil Ahsan, Maj Gen (retd) Masudur Rahman, writer-journalist Haroon Habib, Dr Sarwar Ali, Maj(retd) ASM Shamsul Arefin and ex-Addl IGP Nurul Alam among others, were present.
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| Bangladesh |
| War crime bill in first JS session |
| 2008-12-17 |
| Sectors Commanders of the Liberation War from a victory day celebration yesterday asked next lawmakers to table a bill in the 9th parliament to try war criminals. Every citizen has the ultimate weapon of vote to fight out war criminals and they must use it to prove Bangladesh a country of freedom fighters, said sector commanders and freedom fighters at a Victory Day programme yesterday. Urging people to vote freedom fighters in the upcoming polls, speakers also said freedom fighters have been "exploited" by political parties since independence. "A bill must be brought at the first session of the next parliament to try war criminals," Sector Commander Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah also urging people to bring freedom fighters in the parliament. "The ultimate weapon to fight war criminals is in the hand of every citizen who has the power to vote. Every citizen has become a fighter with that weapon. And they must learn everything about war criminals and make sure they don't have access to our sacred parliament," said Sector Commander Lt Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury. The nation celebrated 37 years of liberation yesterday, saluting the valiant sons and daughters of the soil who made the supreme sacrifice in the Liberation War in 1971 for an independent and modern democratic state. With the spirit of independence, thousands of people of all walks and ages across the country gathered at the memorials of the martyrs. They paid tributes to the national heroes amid renewed calls for trial of war criminals and boycotting them in the polls. Osman Chowdhury added, "The harmful anti-liberation elements have grown up under shelter of dirty politics over the years and are getting prepared to eat up the country." The programme titled "Reunion of freedom fighters living in Dhaka and Sector-2 in Dhaka" organised by Dhaka City Corporation at Osmani Udyan in the morning was attended by freedom fighters, government and DCC officials and many others. "Prove it through your judgment on December 29 this is the country of freedom fighters and Jamaat-e-Islami, Al Badr, and Al Shams don't belong to this country," said Coordinator of Sector Commanders Forum (SCF) Lt General (retd) Harun-ar-Rashid. "We must be united with a determination that none of us would cast vote for a war criminal," said KM Shafiullah. He added, "The next government must raise a bill to try the war criminals at the very first session of the next parliament." "Remain vigilant so that war criminals don't win this election. Let the sky and air of Bangla be resonated with the slogan 'We want trial of war criminals,'" said Commander of Sector-4 Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta. |
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| Bangladesh |
| Top leader admits getting Jamaat funds |
| 2008-07-15 |
| A vice-president of Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad (JMP) yesterday said they receive "donations" from Jamaat-e-Islami for the "welfare" of freedom fighters and to mobilise freedom fighters in different activities. Vice-president of JMP Engineer Abdur Rob said he along with many of the JMP leaders have great respect for Jamaat leaders. He also said many of their leaders support Jamaat even though they are not directly involved in Jamaat. Meanwhile, several freedom fighters yesterday said three persons holding key positions in Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad are not freedom fighters at all even though the JMP constitution claims that they are freedom fighters. When asked whether the three (two JMP vice-presidents and its president) are freedom fighters as claimed by the JMP constitution, President of JMP Engineer Moslem Uddin and Secretary General Muhammad Iqbal refused to talk. Abdur Rob, who at first had refused to talk, told The Daily Star over telephone, "We are in big trouble." He said, "Yes, we take donations from different businessman, organisations including Jamaat-e-Islami and spend the money on the welfare of freedom fighters." "Honesty of many Jamaat leaders calls for respect," he said, adding, "I along with many of our leaders have respect for Jamaat leaders who are more accountable than other political party leaders." "If you ask me whether I am a supporter or an activist of Jamaat, I must say, I have great respect for Jamaat leaders," he said. Engineer Moslem Uddin refused to talk to The Daily Star over telephone and invited the correspondent to tea for discussion. When The Daily Star correspondent was talking to Abdur Rob, he handed the phone over to Moslem Uddin saying, "Talk to our president, he is right beside me." But Moslem refused to talk again. Moslem Uddin is mentioned as a freedom fighter and the headquarter commander of sector-8 in the JMP constitution. But, Sector-8 Commander of Liberation War Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury said that it is not true. Abdul Latif, commander of Pabna Zila Muktijoddha Sangsad, told The Daily Star that he does not know any commander called Moslem Uddin. "If there was a commander by this name, I would certainly know him," he added. In the JMP constitution, Abdur Rob is described as a freedom fighter and camp commander of the Liberation War who fought under the command of Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta. Dutta told The Daily Star that there was no camp commander named Abdur Rob under him. Asked about Dutta's comments, Abdur Rob said it is unfortunate if someone denies fact. In the JMP constitution, Fazlul Haq, another vice-president of JMP, is described as sub-sector commander of Noakhali area. Col (retd) Jafar Imam told a Bangla newspaper Sunday that he knows all commanders who fought in greater Noakhali but he does not know any commander named Fazlul Haq. A freedom fighter on Friday was assaulted by Islami Chhatra Shibir activists at Diploma Engineers' Institute in the city where Jamaat-backed Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad was holding a representatives' conference. The elderly freedom fighter came under attack as he in his address demanded punishment to the Jamaat men who were members of Al-Badr and "Peace Committee" during the Liberation War. |
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| Bangladesh |
| Islamic leaders seek Nizami's punishment for war crimes |
| 2008-05-22 |
| Representatives of the Islamic community of the country yesterday demanded punishment of Jamaat Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami for war crimes he committed during the Liberation War. The demand came at a meeting between a delegation of Islamic leaders and the Sector Commanders Forum (SCF) at the SCF office in Banani. The delegation, led by former director of Bangladesh Islamic Foundation Maulana Farid Uddin Masud, said war crimes are more heinous than corruption and for that the government should try the war criminals by a special tribunal. At the meeting they said the rule of law that the government is telling about could be ensured if they try the war criminals. The religious leaders said that there can be no peace in the country if war criminals are not tried. SCF chairman and deputy chief of Liberation War Air Vice-Marshall (retd) AK Khandaker, sector commanders Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah, Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta, Maj Gen (retd) Rafiqul Islam, Lt Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury, former Army Chief and chief coordinator of SCF Lt Gen (retd) Harun-ar-Rashid, among others, were present on behalf of SCF. Maulana Abdur Rahim, Maulana Mizanur Rahman, Principal of Baridhara Madrasa Maulana Abdul Alim Faridi, Khatib of Rajbari Mosque Mufti Ainul Islam, among others, represented Islamic leaders. |
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| Bangladesh |
| Sector commanders for ban on anti-independence forces |
| 2007-10-25 |
| Sector Commanders Forum, a platform of sector commanders of the Liberation War, has demanded that the caretaker government ban 'anti- independence' forces like Jamaat-e-Islami from taking part in elections. It also demanded trial of the leaders of Jamaat and other forces which had opposed the Liberation War. The demands were made at a post Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja reunion of freedom fighters at city hotel on Tuesday. Six sector commanders who made the demand also vowed not to attend any state function on the coming Victory Day if anti-liberation forces are invited there. Five of the 11 sector commanders are dead. The reunion was attended by four sector commanders and two others who could not attend expressed solidarity with them. The four are Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta, Lt Gen (retd) Mir Shawkat Ali, Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah, Lt Col (retd) Kazi Nuruzzaman, Air Vice Marshal (ret) A K Khandker, Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman, Lt Gen (retd) M Harun-ur-Rashid . The other two backed the demands are Maj (ret) Rafiqul Islam and Col (ret) Abu Osman Chowdhury. A number of freedom fighters were present at the function. The forum opposed the government decision to enrol Biharis (stranded Pakistanis) as voters. It decided to hold a convention in the capital prior of the Victory Day to mobilise public support for its demands. "It is very unfortunate to enrol stranded Pakistanis as voters as they still believe in Pakistan," Shafiullah said at the function. "Most of the Biharis were involved in the killing of Bangladeshis during the Liberation War, he pointed out. CR Dutta said," It is unfortunate that freedom fighters are now divided We should remain united if we want to bring anti-liberation forces to trial." Nuruzzaman said," Pro-liberation forces will have to go power to try those who had opposed the Liberation War." Shawkat Ali urged the freedom fighters to get united. The forum would submit memorandums containing their demands to the president, chief adviser and army chief. |
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