Awami League stalwart Matia Chowdhury rejects the suggestion that the government sit for talks with Jamaat-e-Islami for ending the spate of violence
Published : 18 Nov 2012, 07:02 PM
Awami League stalwart Matia Chowdhury on Sunday rejected the US suggestion that the government sit for talks with Jamaat-e-Islami for ending the ongoing spate of violence, saying it will only hearten the war criminals.
Matia, the Agriculture Minister, made the observation in an unscheduled discussion in Parliament.
The Presidium Member deplored the statement by the US Embassy and said "they saw" in 1971 that one cannot be made to do everything by force, in a clear taunt at the American role in Bangladesh's Liberation War when the US sided with the Pakistanis to stifle the liberation struggle of the Bengalis.
Matia also brushed aside BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's statement that the Awami League was using the war crimes trial as a ploy to bring Jamaat to the next general elections it is planning to stage under a partisan government.
"Ambassador (Dan Mozena) of a powerful state has spoken of dialogues with Jamaat. This sort of statement from them will encourage those accused of committing crimes against humanity."
Jamaat activists have been clashing with the police in the capital and elsewhere across the country since Nov 5 demanding release of their leaders facing trial for alleged crimes against humanity during 1971 war and halt to the operations of the tribunals trying them. Reports have it that over 150 policemen were injured in the clashes so far.
The US Embassy in a statement issued on last Thursday expressed 'deep concern' over the acts of violence and advised the government holding dialogues for a peaceful resolution.
"If their police were attacked, would they have gone for dialogues?" retorted Matia and said the advice was unacceptable.
"They talk about (dialogue), they speak about neutrality to stand between justice and injustice," she added.
Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir had outright ruled out sitting across the table with Jamaat 'who kill people'.