Execution of convicted war criminals alone can ensure the victory the
Awami-League-led Grand Alliance in the next parliamentary election,
Sector Commander KM Safiullah has said.
He said this in an interactive meet arranged by the Grand Alliance at
the Awami League President’s Dhanmondi’s office with cultural
activists, social workers and freedom fighters on Thursday.
“We can go and seek votes only if the war crimes verdicts are
executed. We can then tell the people that we have kept our word,”
said Safiullah.
The AL’s Advisory Council Member reminded those present of his party’s
pledge of putting war criminals on trial made before the 2008 national
election.
He said he believed his party had won youth support for having made
this promise.
But a late start to the trials after AL assumed power and their slow
pace have worked to prevent the execution of the convicted war crimes
criminals before the next election, to be held by Jan 24 next year.
“How should we respond if people want to know what we have done to
fulfil the promise?”
He told pro-liberation forces that the war criminals might be let off
if the AL failed to win a second term in a row.
“(Instead of war criminals) Freedom fighters will be made to walk the
gallows,” he warned.
Two international crimes tribunals have sentenced nine people for war
crimes during 1971 after being set up on Mar 25, 2010, almost two
years into the present government’s tenure.
Seven have been given the death sentence, and the rest life terms.
All the verdicts barring the death sentence of Jamaat-e-Islami’s
Assistant Secretary General Abdul Quader Molla are now pending with
the Supreme Court, following appeals either by the defence, or
prosecution or both.
The SC overturned on Sep 17 Quader’s life sentence given by the
International Crimes Tribunal to award him the death penalty.
His execution now is a matter of time.
Speakers urged pro-liberation forces to campaign for the Grand
Alliance to stamp out militancy, communalism and strengthen democracy.
– bdnews24.com
