‘Jamaat’s stratagem to avoid justice won’t work’

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Udisa Islam
Published : 02:00, Feb 21, 2019 | Updated : 02:00, Feb 21, 2019

A key ally in the 20-party Alliance, Jamaat, helped the collation, which was then Four-party Alliance, to assume office in 2001.Liberation war researchers and prosecutors have said that even Jamaat-e-Islami changes its name they will have to face justice; no strategy will save them from facing trial, say experts.

In 2014, a finalised investigation report was submitted to the prosecution wing of the International Crimes Tribunal but a formal charge has not been made as yet on the report.

Since the punishment format is not clearly delineated, the trial was suspended. So far, several senior leaders of Jamaat were punished for their role in 1971 with the High Court scrapping Jamaat’s registration with the Election Commission as a political party.

Recently, the party’s assistant general secretary Abdur Razzaq resigned citing that he had asked the party several times to apologise for their role during the War of Liberation in 1971.

Meanwhile, members of Jamaat’s highest policymaking forum Majlis-e-Shura have recommended several reforms within the party, including a name change.

Tureen Afroz, a prosecutor at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), says: “By dissolving the party, they want to avoid the trial. But whatever their strategy, they will have to face justice.”

Once the amended law comes into force, the issue of the punishment will be clear, she added.

Chief coordinator of the ICT’s investigation wing Md. Abdul Hannan Khan says: “We submitted an investigation report but formal charges have not been framed as yet.”

Trial can be held under the existing laws, according to him.

President of the committee to eradicate collaborators of 71, Shahriar Kabir, says: “trial is possible under existing laws but Jamaat has adopted a strategy to avoid it.”

But no stratagem will help them; they will have to face justice, he added.

Law Minister Anisul Huq says: “those who are accused of war crimes will be tried and this is possible under existing law.” 

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