CPB demands arrest of war criminals

29 April 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Communist Party of Bangladesh President Manjurul Ahsan Khan yesterday demanded immediate arrest of identified war criminals. “Usually, criminals are arrested first for committing any offences, then they stand trial. So, the identified war criminals should be arrested before beginning of the trial,” he said. The CPB chief made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled 'Trial of war criminals and struggle for peace' organised by Bangladesh Shanti Parishad at the National Press Club in the city. Calling upon all the pro-liberation forces to remain united, he said the anti-liberation forces might occur a chaotic situation in the country to foil the trial of the war criminals. “We'll have to launch vigorous movement to resist any conspiracy.” Khan also demanded execution of the convicted killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman still absconding abroad. Bimal Biswas, politburo member of Workers Party of Bangladesh, urged the government to fulfill its election-pledges especially holding trial of the war criminals at any cost. Criticising recent movement by the main opposition party, he said BNP and Jamaat had taken same stand on the issue of war crimes trial. "They engaged in a conspiracy to halt the trial by bringing the water, gas and electricity crises into the focus." Parishad Presidium Member Amena Ahmed MP moderated the seminar addressed by its General Secretary Kamal Haider and noted intellectual Hayat Mahmud, among others.