The ongoing trial of eight war crimes suspects will be completed by this year, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said yesterday.

"I assure you that the trial of the eight accused would be completed within this year maintaining fairness and international standards,” he told at a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club auditorium last evening.

There is no scope for questioning about the trial in the International Crimes Tribunal as the accused are enjoying their right to defend themselves, he mentioned.

The government is going to formulate a new law to tackle any probable bid to foil the trial proceedings, noted the minister adding, another tribunal would be set up within this month to speed up the process.

Shafique also argued that the trial is not progressing slowly; rather, the prosecution is working to collect the necessary evidence and witnesses in a short time to

ensure speedy trial.

State Minister for Law advocate Qamrul Islam, the special guest at the discussion, said the government will not obstruct the March 12 programme of BNP, rather their factions would foil it.

The law enforcers will take stern action if they [BNP] tryto carry our “destructive activities” in the name of political programme, he added.

Lt Gen (retd) Harun-or-Rashid, general secretary of Sector Commanders' Forum, said the government should hold the trial of war criminals to uproot the religious fundamentalists from the country.

He urged the government to hold the trial within the tenure of the incumbent government.

If the incumbent government fails to complete the trial and loses the next national polls, the BNP-Jamaat alliance will take revenge on the Awami League leaders and supporters, warned Prof Khondoker Bazlul Hoque, chairman of Agrani Bank.

Sammilito Tarun Peshajibi Parishad, a platform of young professionals, organised the meeting with its president barrister Zakir Ahmed in the chair.

Rashed Khan Menon, president of Bangladesh Workers Party, also addressed the programme.

Six top Jamaat-e-Islami and two BNP leaders are facing charges for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 LiberationWar.