Mozammel Haque says new bill in offing to confiscate properties of war criminals

Family members of war criminals will be stripped of their voting rights and their properties will be confiscated, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque has said.

A new bill would soon be placed in parliament to prosecute those criticising the Liberation War, he said at a rally organised by the pro-Awami League platform Bangabandhu Smriti Foundation, on Thursday.

Amid rising demands for the confiscation of the properties of those convicted of committing war crimes in 1971, the minister at a rally in Gopalganj on Dec 19 last year had spoken about the enactment of a law in this regard. 

He, however, did not mention the proposed law at Wednesday’s rally, held beforethe National Press Club.

“I want to tell the nation that the assets of war criminals will be confiscated soon. Their family members will not get any government jobs in this country.

“Their families can only stay in this country as citizens. But they will not have voting rights,” the minister said.

A bill stripping war criminals of voting rights was passed in parliament three years ago.

Referring to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the minister said, “The ‘undeclared chief’ of Jamaat-e-Islami has given a speech demeaning the Liberation War. However, when she was in power for 10 years [in two terms], she in special messages onIndependence Day and Victory Day had stated 20 times that this country had gained independence through the sacrifices of three million lives and the honour of 200,000 women.

“The moment her masters in Pakistan have denied the figure of the[1971] martyrs and demeaned the Liberation War, Khaleda and the leaders of her party have started raising questions on the war and the number of martyrs.”

Haque also said that the 195 Pakistani army personnel accused of committing war crimes in 1971 would be brought to Bangladesh to stand trial.