Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has opened doors to Islamists and to ex- war criminals. The party has just dropped the provision in its statute against such persons.
BNP’s National Standing Committee proposed the abolition of the provision and on Dec 9, the National Council approved the proposal. This paves the way for entry of all those who had collaborated with Pakistan during liberation war in 1971 and have been convicted under Bangladesh Collaborators (Speedy Tribunals) Order, 1972. According to BNP leaders, the erstwhile opponents of Bangladesh can now have membership or leadership of BNP’s committees at any level, the Daily Star reported on Dec 12.
The Hasina government is proceeding ahead with its commitment to hold a trail of the 1971 crimes. It has decided to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) so that the ICC can hold trial of genocide, crime against humanity and crime of aggression in Bangladesh. Law Minister Shafiqul Ahmed said met the ICC President Sang-Hyun Song in Rome and discussed the modalities.
If Bangladesh ratifies the Rome Statue (of 1998), the ICC would give technical assistance in holding trial (of the 1971 crimes), he was assured, the New Age reported on Dec 7.
