Try war criminals to establish rule of law
Speakers demand at FFs meeting ahead of Barisal divisional convention
Leaders of freedom fighters of Barisal division during a view-exchange meeting with journalists yesterday demanded trial of war criminals and criticised what they called 'inaction' by past political governments in this regard.
Lack of appropriate action in time by political governments in the past has helped rehabilitation of war criminals and anti-liberation forces in politics in the country, they said at the meeting held at Barisal Reporters Unity office.
Sheikh Qutubuddin, convener and Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, convening committee member of district Muktijoddha Sangshad Command Council spoke at the meeting on behalf of freedom fighters. Representatives of different socio-cultural and political organisations also took part in the discussion.
The participants said, some quarters now describe the issue (trail of war criminals) as controversial and an attempt to divide the people after 37 years of independence. This is only because anti-liberation forces have been politically rehabilitated and documents on their crimes are hard to find.
Political governments immediately after independence and after killing of Bangabandhu are responsible for the present situation, they said. During both the periods, the then governments adopted a policy of reconciliation and appeasement, which allowed anti-liberation forces become firm-rooted in politics on one hand creating obstacles in the way of establishing rule of law in the country on the other hand, the freedom fighters said.
If war criminals were brought under trial, corruption could not have spread so enormously in the administration and in social life. Corruption increases if there is no action against criminals, which started after independence, they said.
Collaborators who opposed creation of Bangladesh have no right to do politics in the country, they asserted. Their sympathisers were also trying to distort the history of the Liberation War as they went unpunished, the speakers said.
They also demanded cancellation of certificates issued to fake freedom fighters.
The view-exchange program was organised as a part of preparation for a convention of freedom fighters of Barisal division, scheduled to be held at Barisal Auditorium on February 2.
The Sector Commanders Forum called this divisional gathering of freedom fighters. It will be attended by sector commanders Air Vice-Marshal (retd) AK Khondokar Bir Uttom, Maj Genl (retd) CR Dutta Bir Uttom, Lt Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury Bir Protik, Maj Gen (retd) Masudur Rahman Bir Protik and other commanders during the Liberation War.
Eight sub-committees have been formed for the convention, likely to be attended by over 1,000 delegates from district and upazila units of Muktijoddha Sangshad in Barisal division, the organisers said.
Permissions from the administration has been taken and security arrangement and other preparations have been made for the grand convention, they said.
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