Pakistani war criminals must be tried: speakers

Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee yesterday demanded trial of the Pakistan army high command and other organisations involved in the genocide committed during Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971.

Trial of top war criminals have been held at International Crimes Tribunal, but trial of masterminds behind the genocide -- Pakistan army -- and different organisations have not started yet, said Shahriar Kabir, president of the committee, according to a press release.

"Now, time has come to revive the second tribunal and hold the trial soon for the sake of justice and humanity," he added.

The pro-Liberation War platform yesterday held an online discussion on "Genocide of 1971: Trial of Pakistani High Command and Organisations", marking Martyred Intellectuals Day. Its central leader and former prosecutor of ICT Barrister Tureen Afroz read out a keynote paper on the topic.

The event's chief guest, veteran Awami League leader and a key organisers of the Liberation War Tofail Ahmed also said trial of Pakistani war criminals must be held and recognition of the genocide must be secured.

Family members of martyrs -- including lawmaker Aroma Dutta (granddaughter of Dhirendranath Dutta); Shilpi Chowdhury (granddaughter of Nutan Chandra Singha); Meghna Guhathakurta (daughter of Prof Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta); Asif Munier (son of Munier Chowdhury); Nuzhat Chowdhury (daughter of Alim Chowdhury); Shomi Kaiser (daughter of Shahidullah Kaiser); Tanveer Haider Chowdhury (son of Prof Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury); Fahim Reza Noor (son of journalist Sirajuddin Hossain); Shawan Mahmud (daughter of Altaf Mahmud) and Madhubrati Dey (granddaughter of Madhusudan Dey) also spoke.