Column
Ghulam Azam’s verdict and needs of the time United Freedom Loving Citizen
Investigation against Ghulam Azam began on August 1, 1990 by an agency dealing with crimes against humanity.
Formal charges were framed against him at the International Crimes Tribunal – 1 on May 3, 2012. Even after completion of trial process, precious time (three months) was wasted before the verdict was announced on July 15, 2013. All the charges brought against him were proved beyond any doubt in the court. Although he deserved death sentence for his crimes, considering his age (90 years) he was awarded 90 years imprisonment. This verdict has angered the progressive section in the society, particularly the youth, who believe that age should not be a criterion in deciding punishment for any criminal. Moreover, before committing heinous crimes against humanity, this criminal did not take age of his victims into consideration before killing them.
By instituting People’s Court in Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Garden in 1992, late Jahanara Begum awarded death sentence to Ghulam Azam, war crimes mastermind, for all his crimes against humanity.
Before coming to power the present ruling party pledged that if it was brought to power, it would hold trial of war crimes and crimes against humanity to rid the nation of stigma attached to it since the birth of Bangladesh. The party which formed the government has now fulfilled its pledge.
Before the announcement of judgment on Ghulam Azam case, another notorious Razakar and Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Molla was sentenced to life imprisonment. This verdict of the court triggered large scale protest from the youth who assembled at Shahbag Square to demand his death. But the verdict on Ghulam Azam did not elicit similar reaction.
Jamaat continued with its agitation to disrupt normal life. Two day shut-down enforced by the party protesting against Ghulam Azam’s conviction resulted in killing of nine persons in acts of wanton violence by Jamaat cadres. People got scared to move out from home. The people should not have waited for the government to come forward to their rescue. It is undoubtedly true that it was the government’s duty to maintain law and order. But in exigencies of circumstances the people will have to come forward to assist the law enforcing agencies and administration in restoring normalcy.
It has now come to notice that the war criminals of the country are getting organized. BNP in collusion with Jamaat and Hifazat launched a massive propaganda/campaign to mobilize public opinion in favor of the war criminals. Result of this is now evident in the recent election result of the five city corporations. It is now time for the progressive and freedom loving people to join hands to resist the anti-liberation forces, failing which, a time will come when freedom fighters and their family members may have to face trial and they could be awarded punishment for participating in liberation war.
