Over 100 militant, terrorist outfits active in country
Over 100 militant and terrorist organisations are now active in the country and they are launching their activities in the name of Islam at the direct or indirect instigation of Jamaat, Shahriar Kabir, acting president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, said yesterday.
He demanded the government immediately arrest the top leaders of Jamaat on charges of their involvement in militancy and committing crimes against humanity during the country's liberation war in 1971.
Shahriar placed the demand at a seminar on 'Islam versus terrorism' organised by Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Bangladesh (AMJB) at the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh auditorium in the city.
National Ameer of AMJB Mobasher-ur Rahman presided over the seminar which was addressed by Prof Syed Anwar Hossain, Meer Mobashsher Ali, head of publications of AMJB, human rights activist Rosaline Costa and Abdul Awal Khan.
If the government does not start the trial of war criminals within one month, questions will raise on its sincerity about holding the trial, he said.
Shahriar said Bangladesh will not be considered as a civilised country unless the country's constitution of 1972 is restored.
The law minister is trying to make us stupid by a recent claim that even if the 5th amendment of the constitution is cancelled, both 'Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim' and secularism will remain in it, he added.
He further said that the countrymen believe in secularism and the spirit of the liberation war. He also put a question: “How can we compel the people of other communities than Muslim to read Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim in the Constitution?”
Shahriar said a vested quarter is desperately filing cases on charges of war crimes in the country to mislead its people.
“The trial of the war criminals will have to be held under the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 which is a complete and good law. But we cannot understand why the law ministry has referred the law to the law commission for updating,” he said.
Prof Anwar said the target of those who are engaged in the terrorism and militancy in the name of Islam is to occupy the state powers, not to establish religion.
“The words 'Islam' and 'terrorism' are opposite to each other. No religion in the world supports terrorism,” he said.
He called on the theological scholars to come forward to establish the real spirit of religions and to make people aware of terrorism and militancy in the name of Islam.
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