THE nation is set to celebrate 49th Independence Day and National Day today. This year, the Independence Day has got special attention following the announcement of United Nations Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng. The special envoy on Sunday said that UN will raise the 1971 issue of the Genocide launched by Pakistan Army in Bangladesh in the international forum.
Bangladesh also observes March 25 as National Genocide Day as the Pakistani occupation forces had launched the genocide in Bangladesh on March 25 in 1971, and subsequently killed over three million people in the nine-month-long atrocities. In exchange of bloodbath of Bengali and sacrifice of two lakh women’s dignity, the nation achieved the Victory on December 16, 1971. The UN initiative may face some obstacles but Bangladesh should stay strong in its position to establish the truth about the genocide.
Even Pakistan’s Justice Hamoodur Rahman Commission report provided “sufficient evidence” in favour of terming the carnage as genocide. The Commission was set up in the face of insistent demand of Pakistani people to try those responsible for the defeat of the Pakistan Army. In the report, it was specifically recommended trial of the senior army commanders who brought “disgrace and defeat to Pakistan.” Zulfikar Ali Bhutto kept the report under wraps to save the face of the powerful army and satisfy his own hunger for power although the Pakistan government declassified the report in 2000.
The Bangladesh genocide is gradually getting importance in the world, especially after the execution of Pakistani collaborators and top-ranking Jamaat-e-Islami leaders. Obviously, this is a very significant step taken by Bangladesh government on behalf of humanity to address the issue of crimes against humanity. At this historic juncture to uphold the truth and justice for the crimes committed by Pakistani military, Bangladesh requires lots of diplomatic efforts to draw the attention of international circle.
We today mourn the deaths of our defenseless people in the fateful night of March 25 and during nine-month long bloody war. We must remain alert so that their supreme sacrifice would not go in vain.
