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Originally Posted by Sohel
^There's no statute of limitation on war crimes anywhere, Asaad. Politically supporting the idea of Pakistan rather than Bangladesh isn't a war crime but being involved in genocide, rape, torture, brigandage, sectarian and ethnic cleansing and looting during wartime is. Razakars were formed as an auxiliary, paramilitary force by the Pakistani government to help them design and carry out the aforesaid war crimes in the name of "Islam" and "National Unity" against "Indian and Anti-Islamic" conspiracy. A similar auxiliary force was created amongst the Bihari community and they were referred to as Mujahids. "Peace Committees" were formed by the government for PR and propaganda purposes, and many Peace Committee leaders were also active with Razakars (formed entirely from Jamaat, Muslim League and Nizam-e-Islami) and Mujahids. Jamaatis formed Al-Badr Razakars and the Muslim Leaguers and Nizamis formed Al-Shams Razakars. These trials are trying Razakars within Jamaat and BNP for now, but in light of Shahbagh, will eventually include BJP and AL Razakars also InshAllah.
The most notorious example of AL's selective treatment of Razakars was Abdur Rahim, the organizational coordinator of Razakars. He served as the Secretary to the President in Bangladesh in 1973 under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Interesting thread from Rabiul who seems to have strong opinions on what's going on, especially when pursuing an anti-AL agenda start with his passionate sermons and righteous indignation, without actually following what's going on in Shahbagh. If he did, he'd have known who Pial is. Yet he questioned Pial's credibility. So I guess this HAD to be a separate thread. Sighting the source would've been nice.
Interesting that this list of Peace Committee members doesn't include Maulana Hashmatullah Faridpuri AKA Atrashi Pir, the spiritual guide not only to top Razakar architects, commanders and coordinators, but also the OP's "favorite player", the Father of BD Cricket, a great patriot who murdered my own father among others. I suppose HM Ershad, a man hanging out and playing squash in Pakistan during the entire duration of the War of Independence, is a great authority on the Spirit of 1971. By the same logic, he must also be the greatest authority on political transparency, anti-corruption, democracy and human rights in Bangladesh, making his BJP the real alternative to AL and BNP.
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I corrected it, there isn't a statute on murder either. However, and I'm not familiar with the issue, but how do we know that the accused are really guilty? I might be wrong here, but many countries lack the concept of a grand jury, and even with one present in the US, we see how unjust the "justice" system is in actuality. Bangladesh's can only be worse than that of the US...far worse. Can witness testimony 40 years after the fact be trustworthy when even eye-witness accounts moments after are highly shoddy? Unfortunately, we don't have smoking guns like DNA evidence and forensics. As Rubu mentioned, how can any jury, if one even exists, be certain that names haven't been stuck on the list in some deshi version of McCarthyism. We know that such things are especially prevalent in countries like Bangladesh.
As someone born and raised entirely in the West, I am deeply skeptical of all governments in Bangladesh, none more so than the present one. One has only to look at the incompetent bureaucracy of the BCB to get the gist of our cultural approach to governance and management. Thus there is and was never any hope of this becoming a wider struggle for reform in Bangladesh...it was always going to be politicized. In that, there is no real fault on Bangladesh because even in the US, the supposed bastion of liberalism, human rights, and other good things, all issues are politicized as "red" or "blue". So a considerably less democratic country (in theory) doesn't stand much of a chance.
These criminals should have been taken to the Hague for two reasons. First and foremost it would ensure a fair trial. Secondly, it would prevent the issue and all its subsequents (Shahbag) from being politicized and/or co-opted by BAL or whoever would have done it.
I firmly believe that people get the leadership and governance that they deserve. The Quran asserts that God will not change a nation's fortunes until the people rectify and purify their hearts. If Americans really and truly believe in the so-called 2nd amendment, then they deserve to have mass shootings every other month. I don't believe that meaningful reform in Bangladesh can occur because the very fabric of our culture is rotten. It isn't just Khaleda or Hasina, or BNP or BAL, but each and every citizen voted for either or both or some third party. An individual may not have the means to grab a gun and take back the country that so many died for some 40 odd years ago, and indeed it would be futile for an individual, but the individual can divorce himself from a corrupt system where you're bound to lose either way. The casino may be rigged, and thus you're best bet is not to go inside. And if you are inside and can't get out, then don't play. Once you've sat down at the table and agreed to the buy in, its over.
Real change won't happen until and unless enough people come together and say enough is enough. That doesn't require that everyone should agree on all points, but it does require enough agreement to realize that we need to move forward from the status quo. But I don't see much prospect for a bloodless revolution in BD, if we are to have one at all. The powers that be will not give up without a fight, and it will test the will of the people if we are to wage and win our second liberation war.
PS: Maybe because I'm an "outsider" but I actually agree with Lara's last post, whatever was left after the mod edit, that is. I find quite a but more useful to hang current criminals and then get to the one's from yesteryear.