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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

[chottala.com] PeopleNTech's Proclamation from New York City Hall for it's continued contribution to the community. [2 Attachments]

[Attachment(s) from Peoplentech Technologyforum included below]

Congratulation to Br. Abu Hanip on his latest achievement in receiving Proclamation from New York City Hall for his continued contribution to the community.
 
Attached are the pictures which were taken at the celebration of Bangladesh Independence day at New City Council office on last Tuesday (03/30/2010).





Attachment(s) from Peoplentech Technologyforum

1 of 1 Photo(s)

1 of 1 File(s)


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[chottala.com] War Crimes Trial and the Development of Bangladesh



Can the War Crimes Trial After 39 Years Bring Development and Prosperity of the Poor People of Bangladesh?

 

Abu Umar

 

Bangladesh is a poor country. It was a part of Pakistan and was separated as an independent country in 1971 through 9 months bloody liberation war. Thousands of people died in this liberation movement against the government of Pakistan. At that time, some political parties though it would not be for the interest of Muslims and Bangladeshi people to separate Bangladesh from Pakistan as India wanted to divide Pakistan into two parts to gain its own political and imperialistic policy. Therefore, more than 6 political parties including Jamaat Islam, Muslim League, Nejame Islami, Pro-China Communist Party etc. opposed the separation movement of Bangladesh from Pakistan. Besides, thousand of scholars and intellectuals who were not involved in any political party also sincerely opposed the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan as they thought separating Bangladesh with the help of India might not be beneficial for the future of Bangladeshi people and the religion of Islam.

 

Anyhow Bangladesh became an independent country on 16 December 1971. After independence of Bangladesh, Jamaat supporters (around one lakh at that time in 1971, at present one crore in 2010) accepted the independence of Bangladesh happily and worked for the development of Bangladesh and did not do anything which can go against the interest and independence of Bangladesh. It did not keep any relation with Pakistan government. This is historically proven fact. Jamaat leaders in different occasions for the last 39 years vehemently claimed that they opposed separation of Pakistan peacefully but in no way they were involved in any killing, rape or arson. Their claim is strengthened by the fact that until today there is no murder, rape or arson case has been filed against any Jamaat leaders and its supporters by any person.

 

In 1973, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh identified total 195 war criminals after investigation but all of them were Pakistani army officers, no Jamaat leaders or supporters were among them. At that time Awami League (AL) government also arrested more than 100,000 people for the allegation of assisting Pakistani army to commit war crimes under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunal Act) 1972. After investigation, charge sheets were submitted only against 2,848 people and criminal offence was proved only against 752 accused and they were punished for different terms of imprisonment. No Jamaat leader or supporter's name was in the list. (See, Abu Rawsab, 13 February 2010 in www.sonarbangladesh.com; RTNN, 23 March 2010; Daily Sangram, 1 April 2010).

 

So, it is a settled issue in 1973 that no Jamaat leaders were involved in any war crimes or crimes against humanity and it is historically proved from the investigation and trial result in 1973. For this reason, probably AL did not take any initiative to try Jamaat leaders for war crimes during their 9 years rule from 1972-1975 and 1996-2001. During this time even AL worked together and had joint meetings and press conferences with Jamaat leaders and the photographs of those joint meetings and press conferences are still available.

 

Awami League (AL) government has right to try war criminals even after 39 years but the question is raised by different groups of intellectuals that why they did not try the war criminals during 1972-1975 and 1996-2001 when they were in power? AL's main target is to hang top Jamaat leaders as openly declared by some of the Ministers of AL, but why they did not hang them during previous 9 years when they were in power and at that time it could be easier to gather evidence against them. After 39 years a lot of key evidence is lost and as stated by many legal scholars and diplomats that it would be very difficult even impossible for AL now to prove war crimes case after 39 years as adequate evidence would not be found to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt (See, Hossain, Emran, 16 May 2009. "The Daily Star Interviews Amnesty International (AI) Asia Pacific Program Director Sam Zarifi." The Daily Star, 16 May 2009. See at http://www. thedailystar.net/newsDesign/story-details.php?nid=208; Daily Sangram, 28 March 2010. "Barrister Jamiruddin Sarker to the journalists: to try war criminals with an intention to weaken the opposition parties, would not be acceptable and credible." See, http://www.dailysangram.com/news_details.php?news_id=28071).

 

Bangladesh is suffering from acute poverty and unemployment. Millions of poor people are starving everyday and suffering from mal-nutrition. The weather is very hot in Bangladesh now (40ºC temperature) but per day 10-16 hours electricity is not available. Shopping centres have been ordered to close by 7 pm every day. It is too early to close the shopping centres, peoples are suffering from such a decision of the government. So, people are suffering from severe hotness and industries in the country cannot produce goods for 10-16 hours every day for heavy load-shedding in the country. So, the GDP growth in the industry sector is seriously jeopardized. Millions of people in Dhaka city are not getting even minimum amount of water for the last two months and the situation is continuing to be the worst combining the situation of no water and severe hotness.

 

AL government has totally failed to solve electricity and water shortage problem. The people of Bangladesh are also suffering from acute gas shortage. These crises are priority issues at present to put emphasis upon and AL government should solve these problems as soon as possible but it seems that AL government is indifferent on these crucial national issues. People can only hear from their mouth joyfully stating that top Jamaat leaders will be hanged for war crimes, what a joyful incidence would be! So, hanging Jamaat leaders for no offence is greater importance than solving electricity, gas, water and unemployment problem to AL government.

 

As said earlier AL has all rights to try Jamaat leaders for war crimes but the trial must be fair and credible under an impartial Tribunal. However, the three judges appointed in the Tribunal are all hardcore supporters of AL government. The investigators and prosecutors are also hardcore supporters of AL government. So, there is no chance of free, fair and impartial trial. The people of Bangladesh now asking an important question to AL government "Can the war crimes trial after 39 years of independence, bring development and prosperity for the poor people in Bangladesh?" AL government needs to answer this question. If they can prove that the trial of war criminals (although no war criminal available in Bangladesh now) will bring development and prosperity for the 100 million poor people in Bangladesh, then AL government should continue the war crimes trial. If they fail to answer this question positively, then they should abandon the war crimes trial and instead should exert adequate efforts for the development of the country by undertaking urgent plan to solve electricity, water, gas, unemployment problem, controlling price hike of daily necessary things etc.

 

Now let us see some recent reports on Bangladesh from daily newspapers and from the statements of renowned politicians and intellectuals. Bangladesh is losing its labour market in the world and the labour market is being occupied by Nepal and India in Muslim countries. This is a great failure of Bangladesh government as it will increase the unemployment rate in the country. According to intellectuals of Bangladesh, it is due to the failure of diplomatic technique and policy of AL government (Daily Sangram, 11 April, 2010).

 

The Law Minister after coming back from U.S. visit in the last week of March 2010, said we are not going to try the opponent political party members for war crimes but for crime against humanity. This is because the main war criminals of 195 Pakistani soldiers were given amnesty in 1973. So, by giving amnesty to main criminals, after 39 years semi-criminals cannot be tried. That's why AL government has abandoned the trial of war criminals, according to the political analysts in Bangldesh (Daily Sangram, 11 April, 2010).

 

During AL rule from 1972-1975, AL government with the help of Rakhkhi Bahini killed more than 2000 intellectuals and scholars who opposed the oppressive rule of AL government and protested against the formation of BAKSAL. The people of Bangladesh thinks that if AL government wants to try 1971 war criminals, then why not they must also try AL leaders and Rakhkhi Bahini were involved in killing 2000 people during its oppressive rule in 1972-1975? AL government cannot escape this criminal liability.

In February 2009, more than 60 top army officers have been killed in Pilkhana. These army officers were highly trained and were extremely patriotic, as the people of Bangladesh knows. According to the investigation of report of Army AL government was directly involved in this killing incidence of top beloved army officers. The dead bodies of the beloved and patriotic army officers were thrown in the drains and the culprits were allowed to escape easily from the incidence place by the help of AL government. Their wives were raped and molested by the rebel BDR. It is not impossible that some Jubo League and Satro League members wearing BDR dress may have caused this heinous massacre with pro-AL BDR members. AL has killed more than 50 BDR members who were involved in the massacre extra-judicially to destroy the evidence that AL government was involved in this inhuman killing of the honourable army officers. Until today AL government is trying to by-pass the trial of the real criminal of this massacres who were AL leaders.

 

From these two incidence, i) killing of 2000 people by Rakhkhi Bahini and ii) killing of 60 top and patriotic army officers and other 50 BDR men, proves that AL government is terrorist in nature. They have no quality and ability to develop the country. Recently they have signed many international treaties with India, Allah knows better whether they have sold some of the national interest of Bangladesh.

 

Awami Jubo League and Satro League and the police department are busy to eradicate Jamaat and Shibir supporters from Bangladesh. They are oppressing, beating and killing of Jamaat and Shibir supporters all over the country. More than 1000 Jamaat and Shirbir supporters have been arrested in March 2010 from all over the country and are being oppressed in remand and detention without any offence been proved against them. Juboleague and Satroleague of AL branch organizations are busy with tender terrorism. Recently some AL ministers committed rape with girl students in Eden College. Jubolegue and Satroleague members are taking all government tenders by force and threat. So, tenders are not allocated in accordance with the law of the country. (Daily Sangram, 11 April, 2010).

 

Law Deputy Minister Kamrul Islam on 10 April 2010 said AL government will take over the control of Islami Bank and Ibni Sina Trust in Bangladesh, the reason is that they are controlled by opposition party Jamaat Islam. These two organizations are public companies and they are complying with Bangladeshi laws and they are not involved in any illegal activities. Intellectuals opine that the Law Deputy Minister's statement to take over the Islami Bank and Ibni Sina Trust amounts to terrorism, misuse of government power and acting against law (Daily Sangram, 11 April, 2010).

 

AL government has been failed to provide adequate electricity, gas, water to the people; has been failed to control price hike of daily necessary things and the law and order situation has been very alarming. The people of Bangladesh are very displeased with AL government. AL government has brought down the war crimes trial issue after 39 years just to hide their failure to solve these important crises. This opinion has been expressed by the former Minister Dr. Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain (Daily Sangram, 11 April, 2010). Trial of war criminals after 39 years especially when the main 195 war criminals have been pardoned in 1973, is not an important issue at present crisis situation in Bangladesh now. This is the opinion of many scholars, politicians and intellectuals of Bangladesh (See, Daily Sangram, 28 March 2010. "Barrister Jamiruddin Sarker to the journalists: to try war criminals with an intention to weaken the opposition parties, would not be acceptable and credible." See, http://www.dailysangram.com/news_details. php?news_id=28071).

 

AL government is giving promotions in different positions to its own party people disregarding the senior and qualified officers in police and other departments. Benojir Ahmed has been promoted to DIG of police leaping 27 senior police officers who were above Mr. Benojir Ahmed in ranking. So, AL is politicizing the administration by appointing and giving promotion to AL hardcore supporters in police, army, ministries and other administrative departments (Daily Sangram, 11 April, 2010).

 

On 7 April, 2010, the Secretary General of Jamaat and former Minister Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid had assembly with people in Satkhira. AL government did not allow him to go to Satkhira. He was stopped by police in Jero Point, Khulna, one of the police officers tried to break his car glass and tried to open his car door by force and told him to go back to Dhaka saying that it is the instruction of the government. He took shelter in Al-Faruk Society in Khulna but at night around 2:00 AM, 50 to 60 Jubo League and Satro League workers attacked the society with heavy rod and stick to kill Mr. Mujahid. Police said they cannot give any security to Mr. Mujahid, he should go back to Dhaka. As the situation was very risky for him, he decided to come back to his own house in Faridpur District.

 

AL government also declared section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code  and cancelled the prior permission given to organize the assembly of Jamaat in Razzak Park at Satkhira where Mr. Mujahid supposed to address in front of thousands of people (Daily Sangram, 9 April 2010). This incidence is an example that AL is violating democratic and fundamental rights of opposition parties to organize political assembly peacefully that have been guaranteed by the Constitution of Bangladesh. Attacking on the former Minister Mujahid by AL supporters on 7 April at night 2:00 am in Khulna amounts to an attempt to murder by the government party members.

 

The President of National Communist Party (JSD) and the first independence flag lifter of Bangladesh A.S.M. Abdur Rob has said that I have no evidence that Matiur Rahman Nijami (the Jamaat President), Secretary General of Jamaat, Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid and Jamaat Vice-President Delwar Hossain Saidy committed any war crime. He said that he wants trial of war crimes but it must not be for political gain and to oppress opposition parties. He also said that if wrong persons' names are included in the war crimes list, the consequence will be very dangerous (Daily Sangram, 9 April, 2010).

 

In this situation the people of Bangladesh think that AL government is heading to the wrong direction to revenge against opposition political parties especially Jamaat Islam. They are violating democratic and fundamental rights of opposition parties. The people of Bangladesh has given more than two-thirds majority seats to AL in the Parliament with the hope that it will undertake development projects to create new jobs to the unemployed people, to solve electricity, water and gas problem, to stop corruption and extortion of money by elite groups from businessmen, to give security of life of people by improving law and order situation in the country etc. But AL government is really making the people hopeless and disappointed.

 

Allah has created human being in this world as the best creature and as his representative on this world. They will lead the society and the country in accordance with His guidelines provided in the Quran. Every leader will be answerable to Allah for his misdeeds and misuse of power. Allah has asked people in the Quran to lead their life in accordance with Quran and Sunnah and to establish Islamic society based on Quranic principle (Surah Baqara, Surah Saf etc.). A Muslim can never be secular and act against Islamic religion. Every Muslim including the government has a duty to establish Islamic social system in the country as per the system established by Prophet Muhammad in Makkah and Madina and later by second Khalifa Umar (R.) on half of the world. We have to remember that after life in this world is for temporary basis and after our death we will be resurrected by Allah and will be judged on the field of Hasr one by one by Allah as the greatest Judge and every person will get punishment for even the slightest misdeeds and every person will get reward for even the slightest good deeds (Surah Zilzal). May Allah (s.w.t.) guide all people of Bangladesh including the AL government to the right path (Aameen).

 

 



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