Bangladesh failed to get international acknowledgement of the genocide on Mar 25, 1971 as the country's diplomats at the United Nations made 'mistakes' in portraying it, said Minister for Liberation War Affairs AKM Mozammel Haque, reports bdnews24.com.
The Bangladeshi diplomats at the UN 'failed to provide the proper context' of the Mar 25 genocide when the UN decided to observe International Genocide Day in 2015, the minister expressed his frustration.
He made the remarks while speaking at a seminar titled "Genocide on March 25, 1971 and Our Thoughts," organised by Sampriti Bangladesh at the National Press Club in the city on Sunday.
In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly established December 9 as the 'International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.'
Bangladesh has long demanded the international acknowledgement of the March 25 genocide by the Pakistani occupation force.
"There is no specific incident related to Dec 09, unlike International Mother Language Day. We had a huge opportunity in 2015. The diplomats did not present their reports properly to the UN to rectify the mistake," said the minister .
The government is working to create global awareness on the March 25 genocide through the foreign ministry, he said.
Those who want to create 'controversy' against an established truth by raising question on the number of martyrs in the Liberation War must face state trial, Haque warned.
"They have pushed the history and the Liberation War backward by remaining in power for 30 years. Now they want to create controversy by raising questions on the number of martyrs. Do they count the martyrs one by one now?"
The minister also spoke about the complaints from a few quarters that the Awami League government has been "dillydallying" on banning the Jamaat-e-Islami from politics.
"Questions can be raised about how much the Awami League has done. They have been in power for 30 years. But they [Jamaat] have their roots quite deep. But it will be easier for us if we can create public pressure on the issue."
A 'Truth Commission' will be formed to inform people about the role played by Khondaker Mustaque Ahmed and Ziaur Rahman in opposition to the Mujibnagar government in 1971, said AKM Mozammel Haque.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs is working to design a question paper on the history of the Liberation War for the BCS exams and compulsory lessons on the history of the Liberation War at the school level, he said.
Nuzhat Chowdhury, the daughter of a martyr, presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
"It won't be easy to gain international acknowledgement for the March 25 genocide as it will reveal the inhumane faces of the US, China and the Islamic countries who helped and supported Pakistan in 1971," she said.
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