Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Acting Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam said, the arrest of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and former Industries Minister Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General and former Social Welfare Minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Delawar Hossain Sayedee on June 29 in a false case filed by a government-sympathiser quarter in connection with hurting the religious sentiment is politically motivated.
After the arrest they were produced on June 30 before CMM court which granted them bail. In spite of the bail the government has shown them arrested in some other false cases hastily lodged against them and they are being persecuted in the police remand. They are not even allowed to have better treatment.
After the first round of arrest of the Jamaat trio police nabbed Assistant Secretaries General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla when they went to High Court on July 13 for bail in a false case pressed against them. Fresh cases are being pressed and persecuted in name of police remand. On July 25 International Crimes Tribunal prosecution cell issued warrant for arrest of Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla. The tribunal led by its chairman Justice Md. Nizamul Huq issued the warrant against Jamaat-e-Islami leaders on July 26. The charges of murder, rape, robbery, arson and other crimes forming Al Badar, Razakar, Al Shams framed against the quartet by prosecution cell chief Golam Arif Tipu are not true. We denounce the allegations and vehemently protest against the blatant lie. Today we thank you for giving a patient hearing to our standpoint on allegations of war crimes or crime against humanity, taking a little pain.
He said, this while speaking at a press briefing at the central office of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on July 28. The briefing was attended among others by Assistant Secretary General Prof Mujibur Rahman, Press Secretary Prof Tasnim Alam, Central Working Committee member and Jamaat Dhaka city unit secretary Hamidur Rahman Azad MP, Central Working Committee member Principal Izzat Ullah, Adv. Jasim Uddin Sircar, Dr Syed Abdullah Md Taher, Assistant Press Secretary Motiur Rahman Akand, Jamaat Dhaka city unit assistant secretaries Nurul Islam Bulbul and Maulana Abdul Halim.
ATM Azharul Islam said, the Razakar (Al Badar, Al Shams) was formed under the auspices of government led by cabinet secretary Golam Ishaq Khan, promulgating an ordinance. Members were appointed to Razakar under the auspices CO, OC, Municipality Chairman and Union Parishad Chairman, beating drum in the locality. CO and OC selected the members from interested candidates and recommended to the district magistrate and superintendent of police. So in the Razakar formation process Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Sangha had no connections and none of the central Jamaat leaders were on the list of govt’s Razakar gazette published by the Pakistan govt. It was none of the business of Jamaat. Razakar was formed, funded and managed by the then government. So holding Jamaat leaders responsible for the formation of the collaborator forces is quite unfounded and illogical. It is also an injustice to Jamaat for the wrongs done during the War of Independence in 1971.
He said, the allegations of murder, rape, robbery, arson, war crimes and crimes against humanity brought against Jamaat quartet by the prosecution cell of International Crime Tribunal are completely false and fabricated. The false allegations were brought only to tarnish their political image.
He said, the so-called war crime trial is nothing but a travesty of justice and the contentious issue was settled long before. It is apparent from the initiatives of govt in the name of bringing the war criminals to book is none but an attempt to launch attack on one of the main oppositions like Jamaat-e-Islami, aiming at debilitating the possible opposition from the organisation. Even some ministers calling the Jamaat leaders as war criminals publicly long before the framing of the war crime charge. The trial is staged only to pave the way for the hegemonist and expansionist powers and their conspiracies to work in the country, weeding out a patriotic and politically organised camp.
State minister for law Adv Kamrul Islam at a 14-party meeting at Dhanmondi on March 19 last said that Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, Delawar Hossain Sayedee and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed will be tried first as the war criminals. At the same meeting Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said, ‘Nizami and Mojaheed will be hanged first’. Their statements before the framing of charges against these leaders corroborate that the trial will a travesty of justice in line with conspiracies hatched earlier.
He said, on February 24 a team of ministers and state ministers, led by law minister Shafique Ahmed visited old High Court building where special tribunal was set up to try the so-called war criminals. The team was accompanied by Sector Commanders’ Forum leader Lt Gen Harunur Rashid and the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee general secretary Kazi Mukul. Ministers can visit the tribunal site but how can the sector commanders’ forum and Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee leaders accompany them as they are party to this and dead against Jamaat. So we have reasons to believe that the war crime trial—merely a drama — is going to be staged to weaken the political opponents.
He said, we want to ascertain that none of the Jamaat leaders were involved in war crimes, therefore, there lies no scope to link Jamaat leaders with war crimes. On January 1972 Collaborator Act was promulgated and around one lakh war crime suspects were rounded up. Allegations against 36,623 over 37, 471 collaborators could not be proved due to lack of available data. Only 2,848 of the arrested were brought to trial. Charges were pressed the 752 crime suspects and none of the Jamaat leaders was included in the list. On November 30 in 1973 the then President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman granted a general amnesty for all except those who were involved in rape, arson, looting and killing. And none of the Jamaat activists were involved in such heinous crimes and no allegation was brought against the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami during the one a half-year rule of Awami League following the amnesty. Not only that no case even a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged with any police station in the country which bears the testimony to their no-link to war crime.
All of you know from 1996 to 2001 Awami League didn’t initiate to try the war criminals and from 1983 to 1990 we launched coordinated movement with BNP and AL against the then military despot H M Ershad. In 1983 till 1990 Jamaat-e-Islami with BNP and AL took to the streets demanding introduction of caretaker govt to the constitution and Awami League used to consider Jamaat as their ally and also a democratic force. Jamaat, Awami League and the Jatiya Party launched allied movement for caretaker govt. Then Jamaat was a democratic force to Awami League but when for a coalition government in 1991 Awami League sent a delegation to Prof Golam Azam, seeking support of Jamaat-e-Islami, which couldn’t agree on the proposal. When AL came to power in 1996 a 4-party alliance led by BNP was forged not only to launch movement against the misrule of the govt but also to form a 4-party government if wins in election. Jamaat’s joining with the alliance annoyed AL seriously. People think as the party previously annoyed, wants to take revenge on Jamaat, so it has set up a tribunal to hold trial of its leaders’ war criminals.
He said, crimes against Humanity means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack, with knowledge of the attack: murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, imprisonment, abduction, confinement, torture, rape or other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population or persecutions on political, racial, ethnic or religious grounds, whether or not in violation of the domestic law of the country where perpetrated. Jamaat didn’t join the war it merely had a different political outlook. So as per the International law not Jamaat leaders but 195 Pakistan army officers were held responsible for war crime but all of these Pakistan army officers were exonerated from all charges of war crime. They were granted amnesty by founder president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who later sent all army officers back to Pakistan. It would be a great injustice if Jamaat leaders are hanged though they didn’t even join the war and take up arms.
He said, a section has launched a propaganda war against Jamaat on the basis of old newspaper cuttings, stories on War of Independence and the video clips made by the section as per their whims after long 39 years. Now our question is can some story books, newspaper reports and some video clippings made on their own be document for trial. In no country a court considers such paper clippings as the documents.
He said, the Jamaat leaders, whose images the ruling quarter is trying to tarnish, didn’t flee the country after 1971 but rather stayed in the country, took part in parliamentary polls and had been representing people in the Parliament soon after the birth of the nation. A few of them became ministers and served the nation. Not only national govt Jamaat leaders also have been serving the local being elected in local government elections as chairmen and members. If they had committed crime against humanity people wouldn’t have voted them to power as their representatives. There is no single example of a war criminal being a people’s representative. The example of Tokyo and Nuremberg trial is cited but those of the war criminals of the World War II hanged there were all army personnel. They committed war crime and went into hiding till they were pinned down. Those who are still at large are being hunted down. So there are no similarities between the Tokyo and Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal and the Dhaka Special Tribunal set up by Awami League govt. Rather it is tantamount to squeezing a confession of crime from one who wasn’t at all involved in the crime.
He said, the process initiated to try the so-called war criminals appears to the countrymen that the judges of the tribunal, public prosecutor, plaintiff, witness sing the same song and undoubtedly they are picked as they are pro-Awami League and also anti-Jamaat. The way the list of so-called war criminals made and publicized seems to be pre-conceived necessarily with ill-intent. Now the war crime drama will be merely staged as the conscious citizens of the country guess that verdict is also predestined and the only thing remains unaccomplished that is handing down the verdict and hanging of the political preys. If the trial is being held flouting the international laws and ethics it will turn into a complete farce, which will not be accepted by communities at home and abroad. The false trial will be nothing but a travesty of truth, creating the greatest ridiculous situation on the planet.
He said, even the special tribunal formed under 1973 Act has already been called into question by the international community. Meanwhile War Crimes Committee of the International Bar Association has raised 17 objections to the 1973 Act. It may be mentioned here that the committee, which comprises 20 members, includes Yugoslavia International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Justice Richard Goldstone.
He said, the present political unrest, economy slump with no investment, skyrocketing of prices of essentials, deterioration in law and order have almost unnerved the people. People feel quite unsafe due to downslide in law and order situation. Unethical activities and violence are prevailing on educational campuses. Ruling party activists are engaged in various terrorist activities including tender snatching, stealing, hijacking, robbery, admission business, killing political opponents, extortion even ‘women students are used to satisfy the leaders’ etc, creating an anarchic atmosphere throughout the country. We expected that govt would concentrate on people’s welfare activities but in place of that govt has resorted to arresting, grilling and torturing the activists of Jamaat and Shibir, aiming at unstabilising the country’s political arena. Police has netted more than 3000 activists including Shibir leader Golam Murtaza on July. Police in plain clothes arrested not only Murtaza but also BNP leader Chowdhury Alam whose whereabouts is still unknown to his family and the people. Government wants to rewind the constitution of 1972 with an aim to ban Islamic movements in the country and thus causing a political vacuum in the country. Govt is also muddying the waters by rewinding the settled issues of 39 years back, pushing the country on the brink of anarchy.
He said, we are bound to say that a farce in the trial of war criminals is going to be staged, aiming at dismantling Jamaat. We will go on facing the govt both in court and in the street peacefully and democratically inshaallah. We will take up the challenge of undemocratic and tyrannical course adopted by the govt to reign in the Jamaat-e-Islami with the people of all strata particularly the Islamic parties, Islamic scholars, Peers, students, labourers and the peace-loving people at large to forge movement.
Demanding unconditional release of leaders and activists of Jamaat and others, assurance of uninterrupted supply of gas, water, electricity, reigning in the price hike, upholding the sanctity of the holy Ramadan and in protest at the police atrocities, deterioration of law and order Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami announces the following programmes.
Programmes:
1. Demonstrations will be staged across the country on July 29 demanding the release of Jamaat Ameer and former minister Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Delawar Hossain Sayedee, Secretary General and former minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Assistant Secretaries General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla and other leaders and activists.
2. Praying for the release of the leaders and activists of the opposition a Doa Day will be observed on July 30.
3. Demanding the release of Jamaat and other opposition leaders and activists, rallies and mass-communication will held across the country on August 4, 5, 6.
4. To press home the demands of curbing the slide in law and order, containing the price hike, ensuring supply of gas, water and electricity and upholding the sanctity of the holy Ramadan rallies and protest processions will be organised in the country on August 8 and 10.
He said, we urge leaders and activists of city, district, Upazilla, and Thana to extend cooperation to stage demo, hold rallies and bring out demonstrations to make the agenda grand success.
Prof. Md. Tasneem Alam
Secretary, Central Publicity Department
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
