Country

Bringing 195 Pak soldiers to book ‘a major challenge’: Shahriar Kabir

Shahriar Kabir. Star file photo

The next "major challenge" for Bangladesh is to bring 195 Pakistani army officials to book for their involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, said noted writer and human rights activist Shahriar Kabir.

"After the trial of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for war crimes in 1971, another key challenge for the country is to put Jamaat-e-Islami on trial as a "criminal organisation," said Kabir.

Kabir, acting president of Ghatak Dala Nirmul Committee which spearheaded a campaign demanding the trial of Golam Azam and other Jamaat leaders for war crimes, made the remarks after the screening of his hour-long documentary "Journey to Justice", reports our New Delhi correspondent.

A list of 195 Pakistan army officers had been prepared in 1973 during the rule of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for trial for their unprecedented brutalities and there have been some more additions to that list since then, he said.

The rights activist also said the army officers could be tried in absentia and sentenced as there is a provision for that under Bangladesh law, Kabir said.

Besides its role in 1971, Jamaat-e-Islami had been involved in the "killing of secular activists, bloggers and religious minorities" in recent months in Bangladesh, Kabir said urging Bangladesh government to bring the party under trial as a "criminal and terror organisation".

"Bringing Jamaat to justice would be a challenge in the sense that there will be pressure from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as Pakistan and the United States manipulate it."

Kabir also alleged that Saudi Arabia has been "pumping in billions of dollars to prop up Jamaat and radical Islamic NGOs".

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali and other senior diplomats were present during the screening of Kabir's documentary which was earlier screened In London, Kolkata and other cities of the world.

Comments

Bringing 195 Pak soldiers to book ‘a major challenge’: Shahriar Kabir

Shahriar Kabir. Star file photo

The next "major challenge" for Bangladesh is to bring 195 Pakistani army officials to book for their involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, said noted writer and human rights activist Shahriar Kabir.

"After the trial of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for war crimes in 1971, another key challenge for the country is to put Jamaat-e-Islami on trial as a "criminal organisation," said Kabir.

Kabir, acting president of Ghatak Dala Nirmul Committee which spearheaded a campaign demanding the trial of Golam Azam and other Jamaat leaders for war crimes, made the remarks after the screening of his hour-long documentary "Journey to Justice", reports our New Delhi correspondent.

A list of 195 Pakistan army officers had been prepared in 1973 during the rule of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for trial for their unprecedented brutalities and there have been some more additions to that list since then, he said.

The rights activist also said the army officers could be tried in absentia and sentenced as there is a provision for that under Bangladesh law, Kabir said.

Besides its role in 1971, Jamaat-e-Islami had been involved in the "killing of secular activists, bloggers and religious minorities" in recent months in Bangladesh, Kabir said urging Bangladesh government to bring the party under trial as a "criminal and terror organisation".

"Bringing Jamaat to justice would be a challenge in the sense that there will be pressure from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as Pakistan and the United States manipulate it."

Kabir also alleged that Saudi Arabia has been "pumping in billions of dollars to prop up Jamaat and radical Islamic NGOs".

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali and other senior diplomats were present during the screening of Kabir's documentary which was earlier screened In London, Kolkata and other cities of the world.

Comments