ICSF campaigns for Bangladesh genocide recognition in Australia

A four-member team of the International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF) has campaigned in Australia for the recognition of the Bangladesh 1971 genocide.

The ICSF is an independent global network of academics, experts and activists working in the interest of justice for the victims of international crimes.

For the first time this year, Bangladesh nationally observed Mar 25 as ‘Genocide Day’ commemorating those killed by the Pakistani occupation forces on that night in 1971.

Bangladesh is also lobbying with the United Nations for the global recognition of the day.

The ICSF in a statement on Sunday said their team comprising of Dr Ahmed Ziauddin, Dr Rayhan Rashid, M Sanjeeb Hossain and Barrister Shah Ali Farhad attended the 13th Meeting of the International Association of Genocide Scholars in Brisbane before their community engagement programmes in three Australian cities – Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra.

This was the largest conference relating to genocide issues in the world.

They presented papers on the understanding and recognition of genocide in the context of Bangladesh.

Apart from presenting papers, ICSF carried out “extensive” engagement with around 200 fellow scholars on genocide and activists from around the world for international recognition of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide, as part of its ‘#Recognise1971Genocide’ campaign.

They also collected video messages from scholars, academics and experts attended the conference in support of international recognition of the 1971 Bangladesh Genocide.

The ICSF’s documentary titled: “1971: A Creed for Justice” was also screened during a meeting with the Bangladesh expatriates in Brisbane.

On July 17, two members of ICSF participated in a seminar organised by 'Bangladesh Studies Circle' titled: "National Prosecution of International Crimes: The Example of International Crimes Tribunal Bangladesh" at the Western Sydney University, Sydney.

Two days later, a member of the team also made a presentation at the University of Canberra on "Global Recognition of Bangladesh Genocide: Strategic Considerations" in a discussion session titled: "Genocide and Humanity".

ICSF members also carried out engagement with Bangladeshi expatriates and Australian-Bangladeshis at both Sydney and Canberra.

On the night of Mar 25 in 1971, the Pakistan army launched 'Operation Searchlight', a brutal and barbaric military assault on an unsuspecting population to crush the Bengali movement for rights and justice that had turned into a fight for freedom in the face of persistent denials.

After nine months of the bloody war, Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation on the world map on Dec 16.

Over three million people were killed and a quarter of a million women and young girls were dishonoured.