India reiterates its support to war crimes trial

Vikas Swarup

India has reiterated its support to the ongoing “trial of war criminals” in Bangladesh, saying the process has a wide popular support in Bangladesh, reports UNB news agency.

“The ICT,B [International Bangladesh. It’s also an internal issue of Bangladesh,” said Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson at the Indian external affairs ministry.

In response to a question on the “war crimes trial” in Bangladesh, he said India has been “supportive” of a judicial process under the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh (ICT,B) to address the pending issue of justice for war crimes committed during the movement for the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

The Bangladesh government also said the “trial of war criminals” is people’s demand in Bangladesh.

By opposing the ICT,B verdicts and the executions, Pakistan has “blatantly dishonoured” the sentiment of the people of Bangladesh and the spirit of the Liberation War of 1971, which are the basic premise of Bangladesh’s nationhood, according to Bangladesh foreign ministry as reported by UNB.

The ICT,B has convicted several key opposition figures of committing crimes against humanity occurred during the War of Independence in 1971 and six of them have already been executed.

Source: Prothom Alo