Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today told parliament that the people of Bangladesh will not overcome the stigma if the ongoing trials against war criminals are not completed.

"Bangladesh is heading towards progress and economic development so the country is getting rid of the overlong stigma of not being able to try war criminals," the premier said towards the end of her speech in the concluding sitting of eighth session.

Pointing to the recent execution of court's verdict against two top war criminals, Hasina said the relatives of those who were killed by the war criminals during the country's Liberation War will get peace through implementation of the verdict.

Lambasting late president Ziaur Rahman, his widow BNP chief Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, Hasina said they had patronised and empowered the anti-liberation elements as well as rehabilitated self-declared killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Reiterating her firm determination to complete the trial process of war criminals, Hasina, also leader of the House said, the mark of a developed country is when it is ruled by the political party that once led the country to its independence.