AL expects govt to initiate trial of war criminals

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Awami League Saturday expressed the hope that the incumbent government would initiate the trial process of the war criminals, while the reformist BNP observed that the next political government should start the process, as the main agenda of the caretaker government is to hold a free and fair election, reports UNB. Participating in the BBC Bangladesh Sanglap at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city, AL presidium member Abdur Razzak demanded immediate trial of the war criminals and pledged that his party would never form any sort of alliance with or seek any support from Jamaat-e-Islami to go to power.
BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said the war criminals should be put on trial after proving the allegations and termed the question whether they would form any alliance with Jamaat is "irrational".
"If any person brings specific allegations against any war criminal, the person will of course get justice if the BNP is voted to power," he added.
Prof MM Akash of Dhaka University and executive director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Shangha Rokeya Kabir also participated in the Sanglap as panelists. BBC Bangla Service in cooperation with the BBC World Service Trust organised the event, moderated by Shakeel Anwar of BBC Bangla Service.Razzak, a former minister, asked, "Where is the problem to try the war criminals when the whole nation, including the chief adviser, the chief of army staff and all political parties, demanded trial of the war criminals.