The people should now put forward resolute demand for the trial, Justice KM Sobhan said, adding that the caretaker government has a significant role to play in this regard.

The Forum for Secular Bangladesh, also known as Ekattarer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, organised the discussion and memorial lecture at BILIA auditorium in the city to mark the 13th death anniversary of Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam.

Delivering the lecture on 'Trial of war criminals and global opinion', Dr MA Hasan, convener, War Crimes Facts Finding Committee Bangladesh, said, "The recent investigation and trial of the mass killing in Cambodia rekindled our hope that the war criminals would be brought to justice in our country someday."

He lamented that the successive governments have failed to realise the intensity of crimes against humanity committed during the liberation war.

Acting President of the Forum Shahriar Kabir, Vice-President Shaymoli Nasreen Chowdhury and Prof Kabir Chowdhury also spoke at the discussion.

Later, the Forum gave away Jahanara Imam Memorial Award to Air Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandker Bir Uttam and Prof Ajoy Roy for their contribution to the movement to promote the spirit of the Liberation War.

Sammilito Nari Samaj, Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal and Karmajibi Nari also held discussions in the city to mark the death anniversary of Jahanara Imam.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh demanded immediate execution of the verdict of Gono Adalat (people's court), which tried the war criminals.