Liberation War affairs minister says ‘war criminals’ organisation Jamaat will be banned in June’

The Jamaat-e-Islami, which assisted the Pakistan army during the War of Independence in 1971, will be banned this June, the Liberation War affairs minister has said, although there is no visible progress to meet the popular demand.

AKM Mozammel Huq said the Jamaat, as an organisation of war criminals, will be banned during parliament’s upcoming budget session beginning on Jun 1.

He was speaking at a discussion at Segunbaghicha’s Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Monday.

The minister also said a process was on to confiscate the assets of war criminals.

“Assets of the war criminals had been confiscated in various countries. Based on those examples and to meet our freedom fighters’ demand, the process is on to confiscate the assets of the war criminals in Bangladesh.”

After the verdict in the war crimes case against former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam described the Jamaat as a ‘criminal organisation’, the demand for its banning only became stronger.

The Jamaat also lost its Election Commission registration as a political party following a High Court verdict. But it is not barred from taking part in politics.

Different sections of society, including the Ganajagaran Mancha and pro-Liberation War organisations, have long been demanding a ban and trial of the Jamaat as a party of war criminals.

But such a move will require an amendment to the the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act.

The government says the draft of the amendment is ready, but there has been little further progress.

Under this act, several Jamaat top leaders have been punished and executed for their crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. They include Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdur Quader Molla.

War criminal and the Jamaat guru Ghulam Azam had died undergoing treatment at BSMMU prison ward while serving a 90-year-imprisonment sentence.

‘BNP plotting with Mossad’

Liberation War Affairs Minister Mozammel Huq on Monday also claimed that the BNP was in collusion with Israeli spy agency Mossad in conspiring to overthrow the Sheikh Hasin-government.

“That’s why Aslam Chowdhury has been made a joint secretary general. BNP had thought that he would play a major role in ousting the government with Israel’s help.”

The little-known BNP leader came under the spotlight recently after a Bangladesh daily ran a report on a meeting between him and Israel’s ruling Likud party leader Mendi N Safadi in India along with a photo of the two.

Police on Sunday evening arrested him in the capital.

A Dhaka court on Monday granted police seven days to quiz Aslam over his alleged involvement in a conspiracy with Israel to topple the government.