Govt must act tough

The Sector Commanders Forum (SCF) yesterday demanded the government brings to book the persons opposing the ongoing trial of war criminals.
Leaders of the organisation also called upon the government to immediately arrest former Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Ghulam Azam and try him on charges of committing war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.
“The government must take action against those opposing the war crimes trial. They should be brought to justice to ensure that they can't hinder the trial process,” Air Vice-Marshall (retd) A K Khandker told a press conference at the Liberation War Museum in the city's Segunbagicha.
The forum of the surviving sector commanders of the Liberation War hosted the event to express its reaction on the “ongoing conspiracy” to foil war crimes trial.
The conference was organised a day after the prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal pressed 52 charges against the Jamaat leader and prayed for his arrest.
“Our campaign for trying war criminals will continue till the completion of the trial process,” mentioned Harun Habib, joint secretary of SCF.
The SCF leaders said the tribunal should not give importance to the demands of war crimes suspect Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.
The whole nation has strongly criticised some opposition parties for demanding cancellation of the trial, they added.
Maj Gen (retd) KM Safiullah, Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta, Lt Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury, Lt Gen (retd) M Harun-Ar-Rashid, among others, were present at the briefing.