No adverse remarks from any country about war crimes trial acceptable, State Minister Alam says

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam has made it clear that Bangladesh is no more in a position where it will accept any adverse remarks over the process of the war crimes trials lying down.

He made the remarks on Monday after the foreign ministry in a statement 'strongly' protested against Pakistan's comments on the execution of war criminals in Bangladesh.

"Not only Pakistan, we will not also accept any negative comments from any country on trials related to war crimes, crimes against humanity," Alam said.

BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, who tried to thwart Bangladesh's independence struggle by committing crimes against humanity, were hanged early on Sunday.

In its reaction, Islamabad said the hanging of Chowdhury and Mujahid was “unfortunate”.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah in a statement said Islamabad also “took notice” of the international community's reaction to the “flawed trials”.

Later on Sunday, the foreign ministry summoned Pakistani High Commissioner in Dhaka Shuja Alam to explain the comments.

On Monday, the envoy met acting Foreign Secretary Mijanur Rahman at the state guest house Padma.

“We have strongly protested against the comments,” Rahman told reporters after the meeting.

Later, Alam told reporters at his office that Pakistan's statement was 'beyond diplomatic etiquette'.

"When the first execution took place, there were international opinions. You must have noticed that the views have changed much in past two years," Alam said. 

"We had expected that no country would make any negative comment separately before and after the execution of Salauiddin Quader Chowdhury and Mujahid.   
    
"Because Bangladesh is no more in a position to accept any negative comments on this issue," he said.

"From this perspective, I will say that we are a little frustrated that a neighbouring country commented on the issue, which was unnecessary," he added.
 
Islamabad had expressed similar concerns after the hanging of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla in 2013.
 
Its Parliament had accepted a motion claiming Molla had been executed for his loyalty to Pakistan in 1971.

Bangladesh had lodged a strong protest at the time against the move.