MPs praise govt, PM at JS

Thirteen treasury bench MPs were in high praise of the government on a point of order last night, hailing and congratulating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for executing the capital punishment of two top war criminals early Sunday.

They lambasted some nations and organisations including the USA, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for their “interference” in hanging Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.

During the two-hour talks on the issue, they also slammed BNP founder late president Ziaur Rahman and Chairperson Khaleda Zia for “rehabilitating” and “promoting” the war criminals, saying the executions freed the nation from stigma.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said many had cast doubt over the trials, saying “past is past”. “But what Sheikh Hasina commits, she carries out despite international pressure,” he said.

He said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated the trial but anti-liberation elements killed him to thwart it. “Sheikh Hasina has completed those tasks,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said, “The government is not trying the war criminals silently, rather it was doing this in line with its election pledges.”

Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said if Sheikh Hasina had not assumed office, it would not have been possible to hold the trials.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said the government executed the court's death penalty order, not any opposition or Islamic leader.