BSS, Dhaka :
Leaders of the ruling Awami League yesterday said that people’s expectations were fulfilled with the capital punishment handed down to Motiur Rahman Nizami by the International Crimes Tribunal.
“For fulfilling people’s expectations, I hail the capital punishment (verdict) handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal against infamous Razakar (collaborator) Motiur Rahman Nizami,” said Awami League presidium member
Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in her impromptu reaction at the political office of party president Sheikh Hasina at Dhanmondi in the city. Awami League (AL) organising secretary Ahmed Hossain, office secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and Simin Hossain Rimi, MP, were present, among others. AL joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif came up with an identical reaction to that of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury saying: “Expectations of the people of the country were materialised and the nation was freed from a stigma following the capital punishment awarded by International Crimes Tribunal against Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of 1971. The AL joint general secretary gave his reaction at party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.
Expressing his gratitude to the people for demanding capital punishment to the Jamaat leader, Hanif, “The verdict in this regard proved once again that the country’s judiciary is independent and for this reason, they have been delighted.” Criticising BNP for its decision to defer its public meeting in Natore, the AL leader said, “By deferring her public meeting in Natore by a day, BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia proved once again that she has been working as an agent of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan. She has expressed solidarity with Jamaat called programme (hartal).” When asked about imposition of a ban on the politics of Jamaat, Hanif said, “Jamaat committed war crimes politically in 1971 and for this it can’t avoid responsibilities. I hope that the International Crimes Tribunal will investigate properly the allegations of war crimes brought against Jamaat and do the needful.”
In his reaction, at AL central office at Bangabandhu Avenue, Relief and Disaster Management Minister and Dhaka City AL general secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya (Bir Bikram) said, “The verdict in this regard would be solace to souls of the martyrs of the war of liberation. People are delighted and they have expressed ‘sukria’ (gratitude) to Allah over the verdict.”
Food Minister and joint general secretary of Dhaka City AL Advocate Quamrul Islam said, “I feel fortunate yesterday that the court proceeding in the case regarding crimes against humanity committed by Motiur Rahman Nizami was started when I was the state minister for Law.” The AL leader gave his reaction also at party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.
When asked as to what caused the delay in delivering the verdict in Nizami’s case, the former state minister for law said, “The schedule date for handing down of the verdict was delayed as Motiur Rahman Nizami was indisposed on the day. There was no relation of the government whatsoever on the deferring of the date for delivering the verdict.”
