‘Govt wants to stall war crimes trial’

Ganajagaran Mancha has alleged that the government wants to hang up the process of war crimes trial.

Speaking at a rally at Shahbagh on Friday, spokesperson Imran H Sarker said: “The people are concerned about what is happening centring the trial of (alleged) war criminals.”

Sarker said the case against Delwar Hossain Sayeedi was pending in the Appellate Division.

“Actually the government wants to stall the trial of (suspected) war criminals. The whole process has been delayed needlessly in different ways,” he added.

Referring to the recent retirement of a judge of the International Crimes Tribunal-2, Sarker said: “It was clear at the time of the appointment when he will retire. But the government is wasting time to appoint a new judge in his place.”

“Also, we’re seeing many signs. We had given the government a list of 127 organisations last year. We, from Ganajagaran Mancha, demanded nationalisation of these organisations owned by war criminals, but the demand has not been met yet,” he added.

He alleged that identified ‘criminals’ of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student front of the Jamaat-e-Islami, were being released from jail ‘one after another’.

He said Hifazat-e Islam said they were friends of the government. “We’re concerned over the matter.”

Sarker said confusion was being spread over Ganajagaran Mancha.

“Today Ganajagaran Mancha is being thrown into controversy; ordinary people are being confused. It’s being said that Ganajagaran Mancha is no more needed.”

“We want to say that Ganajagaran Mancha has not been created to meet anyone’s need, to pave anyone’s path to power or to dislodge anyone from power.

“The people created Ganajagaran Mancha.”

Sarker announced that their struggles would continue until their six-point charter of demands, including a ban on the politics of Jamaat and Shibir, came.

“We won’t go back home until our demands are realised,” he said.

The Mancha activists took out a march from Shahbagh after the rally.

A faction of the Mancha, led by Chowdhury, held a separate rally nearby at the same time.