PM for Nuremberg trial system for war criminals

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday laid emphasis on introducing Nuremberg trial system in the country where there will be no need for any witness against war criminals.

"There’s no need for any witness for the trial of war criminals as documents are there. Justices in Nuremberg didn’t take any witness, and that trial [process] is still there as the trial for war crimes in the World War II is going on. We can take that type of step in our country, too," she said.

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of ruling Awami League, said this when the party leaders greeted her on the occasion of her Homecoming Day at her official residence Ganobhaban in the morning.

She said the witnesses of war criminals are facing attacks and torture. "I’ve received complaints of many such incidents and taken steps."

The Prime Minister said the attackers of witnesses will also be treated as war criminals. "They must face the same trial as war criminals…they must get the capital punishment," she said.

Sheikh Hasina urged Awami League leaders and activists to look after the witnesses of war crimes. "Make sure no one can torture them," she said.

After the country’s independence, Hasina said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to build the country and he got engaged in massive development works. 

She mentioned that the country’s GDP was above 7 percent at that time when the conspirators struck. 

"That means Bangladesh would have stood up and got established as an independent country had there been no conspiracy. The conspirators wanted to make Bangladesh a failed state.”

Briefly describing the horrible days of Zia regime, she said all the institutions of an independent country were destroyed. "They didn’t want Bangladesh to stand up with its head high as an independent country."

Hasina said this attitude had been there until 1996 when Awami League returned to power after 21 years.

Mentioning that the Awami League government is working hard to fulfil the desire of Bangabandhu to make Bangladesh free from poverty and hunger, she said the soul of the Father of the Nation will get peace with this achievement. "But there were repeated obstructions … these will come, this is normal… we’ve held the trial of the killers, but the trial of conspiracy didn’t take place."

Coming down heavily on a section of people who do not feel good under Awami League rule, the Prime Minister said this section always likes to lick the boots of military junta. "They never see democracy when Awami League comes to power, but they love licking boots…they feel good when power grabbers sit in the throne."

Recalling the days when she was elected president of Awami League, Hasina said that long 37 years have passed by as the party chief. "I think, it’s a long time, it won’t be nice to be there in the post, you should think about the new leadership. I’ll be there always for the party and the country," she said.

She also mentioned that if the organisation remains strong, united and beside people, it is not a problem to achieve anything. "Awami League has proved this repeatedly," she said citing examples from 1952, 1971 and other times.

Hasina asked all the leaders and activists of the party to build themselves with the ideals of Bangabandhu who never did politics for his personal gains.

Source: unb