‘Try war criminals’

A week-long book fair titled 'Muktijuddher Boi Mela' began in the port city yesterday with a call for raising voice for trial of the war criminals.
Sector Commander Lt Col (Retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury inaugurated the fair on behalf of the Sector Commander's Forum at a ceremony on the DC Hill premises.
Muktijuddher Shaheed Smriti Pathagar, Chittagong organises the fair in association with Grameenphone with a view to shining the new generation with spirit of the liberation war.
Speakers at a discussion said after 36 years the whole nation is now united again to establish a democratic and corruption-free country.
They also urged the government to start the process of trial of the war criminals and collaborators in order to form a society based on justice.
Prof Dr Anupam Sen, the fair chairman, presided over the discussion.
Acting Chairman of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee and Writer and Researcher Shahrier Kabir, Revolutionary Binod Bihari Chowdhury, actress Shami Kaiser, who is also the daughter of martyr intellectual Shahidullah Kaiser and Grameenphone Finance Manager Javedur Rahman spoke on the occasion.
Abu Osman said war criminals have no right to do politics and participate in the national elections in any civilised country in the world.
He said establishment of democracy and holding of a fair and credible election are impossible unless trial of the war criminals is ensured.
Shahrier Kabir urged the government to form a commission and publish a list of war criminals and collaborators in such a way they published lists of corrupt politicians.
Nine artists of the Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendra Mihir Nandi, Shila Momen, Probal Chowdhury, Mrinal Bhattyacharjee, Bani Kumar Chowdhury, Jayanti Lala, Sujit Ray, Sakhina Begum and late Shefali Ghosh were given reception in the fair.
The seven days of the fair would be dedicated after the names of the seven Birshrestha (War heroes) while the first day was dedicated to the Birshrestha Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir.