BNP sticks to its old position on war crimes issue

The BNP has maintained its stance on the war crimes trials by refraining from commenting directly on the issue.
Party's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir  Friday reiterated that they did not oppose trials of suspected war criminals.
Of the 13 war crimes convicts, three are from the BNP, while seven are top leaders of its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami.
The BNP kept silent after the convictions, whereas Jamaat, which itself is accused of war crimes, responded violently by enforcing shutdowns.
However, party chief Khaleda Zia once dubbed the war crimes trials a "farce" but has since been silent.
"We have never commented on the war crimes trial process," Fakhrul told the media Friday.
Fakhrul said, "However, the trials must held without political motives and should be free, fair and in keeping with international standards.", according to a news agency.