Sue Myanmar at Int'l Criminal Court

Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriar Kabir has urged the government to file a case with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Myanmar government and its army for committing “war crimes and genocide” against the Rohingyas.

The eminent war crimes researcher assured that his organisation would provide support to the government by collecting evidence and providing documents for the trial.

If Bangladesh does so, many countries across the globe will stand by it, he said.

Bangladesh has no legal barrier to complain, he said while speaking at a discussion organised by the Nirmul Committee in the capital's Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) yesterday.

The programme was organised to find out the responsibilities of the government, civil society and the international community regarding the recent Rohingya crisis.

Shahriar Kabir said they would form a commission, comprising lawyers, journalists and civil society representatives, within a week to investigate genocide that took place in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

“The activity of the committee will start from the next month [October], when its members will talk to the [Rohingya] victims and organise a public hearing based on the investigation…,” he added.

Also, the war crimes expert urged the United Nations (UN) to ensure shelter for Rohingya refugees in different countries as Bangladesh alone is not able to take the load.

Shahriar Alam, state minister for foreign affairs, said most of the countries including the USA and European countries are with Bangladesh in dealing with the Rohingya crisis.

Although the government was not prepared for the Rohingya influx, it gave shelter to over 400,000 refugees setting a glaring example, he said.

About relief, Shahriar Alam claimed that Bangladesh alone had provided double the relief that all other countries distributed.

Speaking as the chief guest, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the government does not believe in war, and it expects that the Rohingya crisis will be solved through diplomatic efforts.

The agencies concerned are keeping an eye on the border and the maritime areas connected with Myanmar following the crisis, he said.

Maj Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid, executive director of the Institute of Conflict, Law and Development Studies; Maj Gen (retd) Anup Kumar Chakma, former Bangladesh Ambassador to Myanmar; Julian Francis, noted British rights activist; Barrister Tureen Afroz, a prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), also spoke.