War crimes trial a bold step: Ali

Bangladesh has taken a “bold step” to break the cycle of impunity and bring the perpetrators of sexual violence and crimes against humanity during 1971 war of independence to justice, foreign minister has said.

Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said in London on Thursday that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had pledged to set a global example of breaking the culture of impunity by trying the offenders in a domestic war crimes trial.

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According to the foreign ministry, the minister was delivering a video statement at the ‘Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict’ being held in London.

He reiterated his government’s political commitment to say ‘no’ to rape and other forms of sexual violence and work closely with the UK and other global stakeholders, including the UN Peacekeeping Operations, in this regard.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Actress Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, invited him to attend the summit soon after Bangladesh endorsed the ‘Global Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict’ in April.

A five-member delegation including the Bangladesh High Commissioner in London and senior officials from the Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Armed Forces Division, Foreign Office, and the Islamic Foundation accompanied the minister.

Later in a meeting, the British State Minister for Foreign Affairs Sayeeda Warsi thanked the Hasina-led government for endorsing the declaration.

She also thanked Hasina for her “strong commitment to the issue of preventing sexual violence during conflict both as an affected country and as a major peacekeeping country”.

Ali and Warsi discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral interest, including the government’s post-election priorities, results of the recent Upazila elections in Bangladesh and political and economic relations with the UK, according to the foreign ministry.

Some leading British parliamentarians in a dinner meeting expressed their support to the ongoing war crimes trials, but voiced concerns over death penalty as the UK does not support it in any part of the world.

Lord Sheikh, Baroness Pola Uddin, Baroness Usha Prashar, Jim Fitzpatrick, Keith, Simon Danczuk and Stephen Timms were present among others at the dinner.

They appreciated the foreign minister for his post-election briefings to Dhaka diplomats and expressed their strong interest to work closely with the government on issues of mutual interest.