Two senior Awami League leaders said on Friday no suspected war criminals, even those from their party, will escape trial.
Advisory Council Member Yusuf Hossain Humayun and Presidium Member Satish Chandra Roy made similar statements as they talked to journalists after attending a discussion on what should be the government’s role in foiling the opposition’s ‘attempt to stop war crimes trial’.
A pro-Awami League organisation Bangabandhu Academy held the discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.
Both the ruling party leaders at the discussion said allegations of any Awami League leader having links to crimes against humanity in 1971 would be investigated.
“If the allegation is proved true, complaint will be lodged with the war crimes tribunal,” said Humayun.
He told journalists that as a freedom fighter he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister if necessary to ensure trial.
The second International Crimes Tribunal, formed to try war crimes of during the War of Independence in 1971, sentenced former Jamaat-e-Islami member Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar to death recently.
Seven other Jamaat leaders and two BNP leaders are facing charges of war crimes at the tribunals.
The first tribunal has fixed Feb 12 for the prosecution to submit charges of war crimes against Awami League leader from Akhaura, Md Mobarak Hossain.
The opposition BNP has been asking the government to prove its commitment to a neutral war crimes trial by bringing to justice its leaders allegedly involved in the crimes. It has been alleging that the Awami League is not free from war criminals too.
Humayun, however, said BNP was walking the same way its founder Ziaur Rahman had to serve the interest of those who opposed Independence.
Roy said the freedom fighters needed to be united and take to the streets to ensure that all war criminals were tried.
Source: bdnews24.com