Editorial
An auspicious event
Moral force of the youth can be a national asset
The massive outpourings of youthful sentiments on Shahbagh intersection and around, centred on sentencing to life term of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah, for the despicable crimes he committed during the Liberation War do carry some important messages.
Some of us thought that liberation war ethos and spirit were getting remote to the consciousness of our younger generation. They have been disproved through candle-lit ever-heaving sit-in sessions with resolute songs and music reverberating beyond the venue.
This is all the more auspicious in view of the fact that they had been subjected to a distorted version of history.
This has brought to the fore the public disdain for the war criminals, the issue of war crimes trial, and the expectation that all perpetrators of crimes against humanity would be punished proportionate to the gravity of their offences.
It is interesting to note that in a way the war crimes trial finds a vindication through public interest shown in its proceedings.
Now the obligations of the government and the tribunals trying war crimes and crimes against humanity have increased to hand suitable convictions to the criminals who turned against their own people, aided in the genocidal act of the occupation forces and committed mass murder, arson, plunder and rape.
Upon a successful completion of the trial process with grit, determination and transparency rests fulfillment of two prime objectives: First, whether we have repaid our debts to the martyrs to whom we owe our independence; second, giving a feeling to the victims, many of them women, that justice has at long last been done to the memories of their forebears.
The spirit of solidarity must be maintained. It should not be allowed to be breached by any quarter. If they can ensure that, their moral force will be a catalyst for coming out on the other side of the intractable problems that the nation is unfortunately hemmed in by.
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