Families of 7 war heroes call for trial of 'war criminals'

Dhaka, Dec 16 (bdprem.com) – The families of seven war heroes with the highest gallantry award demanded trial of 'war criminals' in fresh calls on Victory Day. The families Sunday chorused with sociopolitical forums that mounted pressure on the caretaker government to put the 'war criminals' on trial. Your Ad Here Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the National Memorial in Savar to place wreaths to honour the 1971 martyrs who laid down their lives in a war against the Pakistan army and its local collaborators for freedom of Bangladesh. "I have got millions of sons losing mine. I have got a country, which is my great achievement," said Mokidunnesa, mother of Bir Shreshtha Munshi Abdur Rob when she came to the National Memorial to place a wreath. "I have a demand—when will the war criminals be tried? Mokidunnesa said. Frequent calls for war crimes have been ignored. The campaigners point to the Jamaat-e-Islami for its controversial roles in the nine-month bloody war that ended on Dec 16, 1971 on the surrender of the Pakistani army. The BNP joined hands with Jamaat and formed an election alliance that rode to power in 2001. In a rare call, senior BNP leader Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan Saturday demanded that the government step in to try the 'war criminals. The Awami League that was in power before the second-term Khaleda administration skipped the thorny issue. AL presidium member Abdul Razzak Friday said it was a "wrong" decision not to have tried 'war criminals' immediately after the 1971 War of Independence. The same day acting AL president Zillur Rahman said his party would try the 'war criminals' if it came back to power in future. At the National Memorial, Mokidunnesa said: "We want nothing else. We only want the collaborators and war criminals to be tried. This is the only demand to the state." Mili Rahman, wife of Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman, also came to the memorial and said: "My husband sacrificed his life for the country. I am proud of him. We want the trial of those who had slaughtered people during the liberation war." On her expectations on Victory Day she said: "I want the implementation of the spirit of the liberation war." Fatema Amin, daughter of Bir Shreshtha Ruhul Amin, was seen close to tears when she spoke to reporters. "My father's soul won't be in peace until the war criminals are tried. The government had conferred the highest respect on the valiant fighters. Why can't they put the war criminals on trial?" Mostafa Kamal, son of Bir Shreshtha Nur Mohammad Sheikh, lauded the caretaker government and said: "Past governments did not invite us all together. This is an initiative I appreciate." Bangladesh brought back two war heroes Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman and Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman. The remains of Hamidur were taken back from India on Dec 11, 2007, 36 years after the War of Independence. He was reburied beside Matiur Rahman at the Mirpur graveyard. Matiur Rahman was brought back from Pakistan on June 24, 2006. Army chief Moeen U Ahmed Saturday said the seven war heroes should be buried in the same place. "People will be able to offer their tributes to the seven gallant soldiers together if they are reburied in the same place." "I have requested the chief adviser."