DHAKA NEWS
Dhaka, Feb 26 Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has once again said BNP was trying to hinder the war crimes trial and added that her government would try the crimes against humanity perpetrated in the 1971.
"BNP has sided with the war criminals and with those who committed crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. BNP never wants the people of Bangladesh to stand upright," she said on Sunday.
Addressing an opinion-exchange programme with Awami League's Comilla unit leaders at her official residence Ganabhaban, Hasina urged all the pro-liberation forces to get united for the cause for completing the war crimes trials.
She apparently made the remark in the reply to the opposition leader Khaleda Zia's demand to release the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders arrested for their alleged involvement in war crimes.
BNP says it is in favour of the trial, but maintains that the trial will have to be fair.
The prime minister, also president of the ruling Awami League, said the war crimes trial is maintaining the international standards.
"The nation has to be freed of the stigma by completing the trial," she said.
Hasina slammed late president and founder of BNP Ziaur Rahman for letting the war criminals walk free.
She said Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had formed a special trial tribunal to try the war criminals after the war for independence against Pakistan.
"But when Ziaur Rahman came to power, he annulled several acts in order to free them (the war criminals)," she added.
She also said BNP chief Khaleda Zia, wife of Ziaur Rahman, is treading the path her husband had followed. "She (Khaleda) is making moves to save the war criminals," the prime minister reiterated.
"It is a matter of great shame for the whole nation that an FBI (US agency Federal Bureau of Investigation) agent testified against the BNP chairperson's son Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case in a Bangladeshi court," she said.
Hasina also questioned the whereabouts of the opposition chief during the Feb 25-26 carnage in 2009 in the Peelkhana headquarters of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), now Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
"The carnage started around 9.30am. She (Khaleda) went out of her cantonment house on the day of mutiny around 7.30am, contrary to her habit, and disappeared for three days."
"Why did she run away? Did she know what was going to happen?" Hasina asked.
She said leaders of all political parties, excluding those of BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami, went to the scene after the mutiny took place.
Hasina said her government had skilfully handled the BDR rebellion case happening three years back.
She also criticised Khaleda for welcoming the winner of the Comilla City Corporation election Monirul Haque Sakku.
Sakku had left BNP to contest the newly-formed city corporation's Jan 5 elections under the banner of 'Citizens Committee' by going against the party's decision to boycott the elections over the use of EVM (electronic voting machines).
Hasina said all elections during her tenure have been fair.
She also charged that the killing of journalists during the tenure of BNP-Jamaat government had not been tried.
"The media is totally free in Awami League's reign," she claimed.
"BNP has sided with the war criminals and with those who committed crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. BNP never wants the people of Bangladesh to stand upright," she said on Sunday.
Addressing an opinion-exchange programme with Awami League's Comilla unit leaders at her official residence Ganabhaban, Hasina urged all the pro-liberation forces to get united for the cause for completing the war crimes trials.
She apparently made the remark in the reply to the opposition leader Khaleda Zia's demand to release the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders arrested for their alleged involvement in war crimes.
BNP says it is in favour of the trial, but maintains that the trial will have to be fair.
The prime minister, also president of the ruling Awami League, said the war crimes trial is maintaining the international standards.
"The nation has to be freed of the stigma by completing the trial," she said.
Hasina slammed late president and founder of BNP Ziaur Rahman for letting the war criminals walk free.
She said Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had formed a special trial tribunal to try the war criminals after the war for independence against Pakistan.
"But when Ziaur Rahman came to power, he annulled several acts in order to free them (the war criminals)," she added.
She also said BNP chief Khaleda Zia, wife of Ziaur Rahman, is treading the path her husband had followed. "She (Khaleda) is making moves to save the war criminals," the prime minister reiterated.
"It is a matter of great shame for the whole nation that an FBI (US agency Federal Bureau of Investigation) agent testified against the BNP chairperson's son Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case in a Bangladeshi court," she said.
Hasina also questioned the whereabouts of the opposition chief during the Feb 25-26 carnage in 2009 in the Peelkhana headquarters of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), now Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
"The carnage started around 9.30am. She (Khaleda) went out of her cantonment house on the day of mutiny around 7.30am, contrary to her habit, and disappeared for three days."
"Why did she run away? Did she know what was going to happen?" Hasina asked.
She said leaders of all political parties, excluding those of BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami, went to the scene after the mutiny took place.
Hasina said her government had skilfully handled the BDR rebellion case happening three years back.
She also criticised Khaleda for welcoming the winner of the Comilla City Corporation election Monirul Haque Sakku.
Sakku had left BNP to contest the newly-formed city corporation's Jan 5 elections under the banner of 'Citizens Committee' by going against the party's decision to boycott the elections over the use of EVM (electronic voting machines).
Hasina said all elections during her tenure have been fair.
She also charged that the killing of journalists during the tenure of BNP-Jamaat government had not been tried.
"The media is totally free in Awami League's reign," she claimed.
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