Children of the martyred intellectuals demanded execution of the fugitive war criminals to implement fully the verdicts of the International Crime Tribunal (ICT).
The children also said the capital punishment of many of the war criminals brought solace to them, but the ultimate objective of the War of Independence would not be achieved if the war criminals can escape punishment.
They suggested the government to expedite further the diplomatic efforts to bring back home Chowdhury Mainuddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan – the two major war criminals who were directly involved in the brutal killing of intellectuals only two days before the country was liberated on December 16,1971.
“I could not enjoy the ecstasy of the victory until the execution of
Chowdhury Mainuddin and Ashrafuz Zaman Khan who were directly involved with killing of my father,” said Asif Munir Tonmoy, son of martyred intellectual Prof Munir Chowdhury.
Tonmoy said he is a bit skeptical about the implementation of the verdict of the ICT as the progress in the process of bringing back the war criminals from abroad is not that much visible. He, however, hoped that the government should continue its initiatives so none of the war criminals escape punishment.
Tonmoy said a law should also be enacted so the verdicts of the ICT on the cases of war criminals could not be changed in the future. He also sought legal protection for the witnesses of the war criminal cases.
“The trial and execution of the verdict are also a part of the war of
independence,” Tonmoy said, adding that the trial of 195 war criminals who were sent back to Pakistan should also be put on trial.
“An effective step should be taken to begin the trial of the 195 war criminals, with getting necessary advice from globally renowned legal experts,” Tonmoy said.
Meghna Guhathakurta, the only child of Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, also wanted that Chowdhury Mainuddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan should be brought back home for implementing the verdict of the ICT.
“I urge the authorities concerned at the national and international levels to take necessary steps to execute the two fugitive war criminals by bringing them back to Bangladesh,” she said.
Dr. Nuzhat Chowdhury, daughter of martyred intellectual Dr. Abdul Alim
Chaudhury, said the trial of the war criminals was a great achievement for the nation, but this achievement could not be meaningful without banning Jamaat for its rule during the war of independence.
“Trial of war criminals was a major legal step against individuals.
Accordingly, legal step should also be taken against Jamaat as it organised and committed similar crime in 1971,” she said.
Nuzhat demand posthumous trial of war criminal with referring to journalist who was involved in the kicking of her father. She also said that the fugitive war criminals should also be executed by bringing them back home.
Citing some examples of different countries, she said a law should be framed to bar the children to get government jobs and some other important assignment.
Tanvir Haider Chowdhury, son of martyred intellectual Mufazzal Haider
Chowdhury, said that he was happy because the government successfully carried out its duty to put the war criminals behind the bar. But, he said the two fugitive war criminals should the executed to complete the verdict of the ICT.
Tanvir also said that the dream of the people who sacrificed their lives for the independence of Bangladesh would remain unfulfilled if the communal forces could not be root out from the soil of this country.
“We need to take various initiatives so the young generation cannot be the instrument for carrying out militant activities,” Tanvir said.
