Editorial
Trial of war criminals
Commendable move by Sector Commanders
The Sector Commanders of 1971, who were at the front of the glorious liberation war, have decided to bring the war criminals to trial through forming a legal committee. This, we believe, is a befitting response to the Jamaat leaders' outrageous and baseless claim that there is no war criminal in the country.
The Jamaat leaders and their sympathisers have themselves revived the issue of war crime by trying to flaunt their innocence, though there is ample evidence of the heinous role they played in 1971. They acted not only as the cohorts of the Pakistani occupation forces but also took an active part in resisting our freedom struggle. They were defeated, but were never brought to justice. Now, after 36 years of independence, they are out to undermine the spirit and glory of the greatest event in the history of this nation. And it was only expected that people would strongly protest their attempt to defile the war of liberation.
The Jamaat used, and is still using, religion as their main weapon to achieve its political goals. It is precisely here that all conscientious people can see through their plan of exploiting the religious sentiments of the masses in a most objectionable manner.
The trial of the war criminals will do justice to the victims of the Pakistani army, brazenly supported by the Jamaat, Al-Badr and Al-Shams elements. What right do the killers of 1971 have to find a place in Bangladesh today? What is really unpardonable is that the known war criminals have never shown the slightest signs of remorse or repentance and are now even trying to prove that they committed no wrong!
The Sector Commanders have appealed to the civil society and people at large to cooperate with them in their bid to start legal proceedings against the war criminals. It is our firm conviction that all the patriotic forces in the country will welcome the move and take a united stand against the war criminals.
The trial of the war criminals is more than a matter of punishing some errant humans: it will resurrect the spirit and resolve that went into the making of our country -- Bangladesh.
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