Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Barrister Shafique Ahmed on Wednesday said peoples’ expectation has been fulfilled with holding the trials of accused for crimes against humanity.He made the comment after the announcement of verdict of Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.
Talking to reporters at his Secretariat office, the Law Minister said the trail was completed in a transparent manner and there is no scope to raise question in this regard.
“The International Crime Tribunal has been conducting the trails independently. The government didn’t intervene in it. Defence lawyer enjoyed all kinds of privileges,” he said.
Asked whether the government would file any appeal against the verdict of Ghulam Azam, as the chief prosecutor who is the plaintiff of the case, said the prosecution team would take decision in this regard after reviewing it.
Replying to a question, the Law Minister said in accordance with international laws there is no scope for the convicted for crimes against humanity to get clemency of the President
Though the President has the right to give clemency to the convicted I hope that he wont exercise it for the convicted for war crimes, he added.
Asked whether with the change of power the convicted could get the opportunity to get the clemency of then President, the Law Minister said the opposition never says that they don’t want the trail of crimes against humanity. “Even than if they allow clemency to them (convicted) we have to understand that they don’t believe in rule of law,” he said.
The ruling Awami League has expressed its satisfaction over the verdict of Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.
AL Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif expressed the satisfaction while addressing the extended meeting of Dhaka City AL at party’s Bangabandhu Avenue office on Wednesday.
“We express our satisfaction over the verdict. Peoples’ expectation has been fulfilled as the organiser of Rajakar and Albadr forces in 1971 was awarded death sentence,” he said.
The AL leader said the verdict proved that the Jamaat had opposed the independence of the country and they don’t preserve the right to do politics in Bangladesh.
He called upon the Election Commission to cancel the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Hanif, who is also the special assistant to the Prime Minister said the trail against war crimes began during the present government.
“We do hope that the verdicts will also be executed during the tenure of the government. No conspiracy could obstruct the trail process,” he added.
Terming Jamaat a terrorist organisation, the AL leader said the people of the entire country came forward against it.
He sought cooperation of the countrymen to execute the death sentence of four convicted and sentence of the rest two.
Presided over by Acting President of Dhaka City AL, MA Aziz, the meeting was also addressed, among others, by city AL general secretary MOfazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and State Minister for Law Advocate Quamrul Islam.
– Staff Reporter
