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Govt has no right to try war criminals

Says SQ Chy

Staff Correspondent
The present government has no authority to hold the trial of 1971 war criminals. BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury said yesterday.
"This government may have the power to hold the trial of war criminals but it doesn't have the authority to do so," Salauddin said at BBC Bangladesh Sanglap at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre.
The BNP leader said the trial of war criminals is a very serious issue but it has been used for political gains.
'Allegations of war crimes have been brought against people for political reasons. Various ministers have accused a few people of committing war crimes but they failed to substantiate the
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allegations, " he said.
Commenting on the issue, Awami League presidium member Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir said the people have elected the present government and it has the "sovereign authority" to punish any criminal.
"The government is working on the matter and hopefully we shall get some results by December," theALIeadersaid.
Supreme Court lawyer barrister Tania Ameer said the government has all the authority to punish war criminals as the people had voted it to power for trying the offenders of war crimes.
Maj Gen (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim said if the government has the willingness to try war criminals, it can do it very easily.
Answering to a query, Salauddin said there is no need to depute army officers to the Bangladesh Rifles as they have other duties to perform.
Commenting on whether the border security force should be run by its own officers, the BNP lawmaker said the government should make arrange-
ments so that the BDR has its own officials from now on.
Criticising the army officials for their role during the tenure of the last caretaker government, Salauddin said, "The army tried to teach us politics during the two-year rule of the last caretaker government They had resorted to extortion and run their own businesses."
Salauddin was imprisoned on charge of corruption during the tenure of the last caretaker government.
Responding to a request from Maj Gen (retd) Ibrahim not to blame the army as a whole for the guilt of a 'few officers', Salauddin said, "Those who have done such things were not a few, they were many innumber."
On the functioning of parlia -mentary standing committees, Alamgir said the committees have been made effective in this parliament as it is vital for ensuring accountability of the government.
Referring to the issue, Salauddin said, "It's positive that Awami League has taken initiatives to make the parliamentary standing committees effective."