Bangladesh
1977 Heinous Crimes US Embassy assures to pay attention to heinous crimes of 1977
Dhaka, April 14: The US Embassy in Dhaka has assured that the United States government will pay attention to the heinous crimes committed in the Bangladeshi military in 1977.
Sophia Meulenberg, a human rights officer at the US Embassy in Dhaka, assured representatives of Mayer Kanna, a network of family members of military officers killed in 1977.
A delegation of 'Mayer Kanna' met her at a scheduled meeting at the capital's American Club on Thursday afternoon. They handed over to Sophia the documents on the killings and torture, which showed that many members of the army and air force were executed before the so-called trials. They were executed in October but letters were sent to their families in December informing them of their convictions and prison terms, according to documents. All this information was given in the press release of 'Mayer Kanna'.
Kamruzzaman Leylin, the leader of 'Mayer Kanna', told the US human rights official, "The then military ruler and founder of BNP, Ziaur Rahman, was the 'mastermind' of these heinous crimes and the BNP is still the main obstacle on the path of justice."
Network representatives thanked the US Embassy and Ambassador for receiving the document and listening to the delegation's plight.
Sophia thanked the delegation for coming to meet her and sympathized with the families of the victims. Members of 'Mayer Kanna' urged the US government to raise their oppressed and unheard voice for justice in all possible ways and everywhere.
The meeting was attended by Bilkis Chowdhury along with the convener of 'Mayer Kanna' Kamruzzaman, the network's legal advisor Barrister Prashant Barua and others.
