The Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded the release of its top leaders, some of whom have been convicted of war crimes during Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
It also dubbed the two tribunals dealing with war-time atrocities ‘a farce’.
In a media statement issued on Friday, party’s acting chief Maqbul Ahmed and Acting Secretary General Rafiqul Islam Khan claimed war crimes charges had been levelled against its leaders to as an act of “political vengeance”.
Jamaat alleged the tribunal judges had ‘failed’ to maintain clarity and neutrality and demanded that the verdicts against its leaders be repealed.
The two International Crimes Tribunals of Bangladesh sentenced six former and current leaders of Jamaat for their complicity in crimes against humanity including killings, loot, arson, and rape during the nation’s struggle for freedom.
The Sheikh Hasina-led government formed the first tribunal in 2010 and constituted a second one two years later to expedite the trials.
The maiden verdict came on Jan 21 this year when former Jamaat leader Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar was sentenced to death in absentia.
Its Assistant Secretary General Abdul Quader Molla was awarded life term while the party’s No.2, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, and Assistant Secretary General Mohammad Kamaruzzaman got death.
Jamaat’s ideologue and former chief Ghulam Azam was sentenced to 90 years in jail earlier this month.
Its Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujhaeed was sentenced to death on similar charges.
Each time its leaders were accused or convicted of war crimes, Jamaat had claimed they were ‘politically motivated’.
The tribunals, in several of its verdicts, observed that Jamaat had committed war crimes during the nine-month war.
Jamaat claimed that terming it a ‘criminal organisation’ was ‘illegal and out of the court’s jurisdiction’.
It also criticised the role of the Ganajagaran Mancha, pressing for maximum penalty for convicted war criminals.
The party also took a dig at the Prime Minister’s announcement to execute war crime verdicts after Eid.
The statement claimed the government was ‘creating grounds for a serious conflict’ with the judiciary by dragging political issues and debates to courts.
The long-term results will be ‘devastating’, the party said.
Source: Bd news24
