War criminal's acquittal is a betrayal to martyrs: Anu Muhammad

Anu Muhammad, a member of the Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee (Democratic Rights Committee), has raised questions about 'acquitting a war criminal'.

He said: "ATM Azharul Islam was the commander of the Al-Badr militia during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The charges against him were supported by documents and evidence. Even if the court overturns the previous verdict due to some error, the truth of the war crime cannot be erased."

Anu Muhammad said this at the 'Citizen Solidarity Rally' in front of the Raju Sculpture of Dhaka University, ' on Saturday afternoon.

He said: "Declaring a person innocent, who is identified as a war criminal in terms of history, has distorted history and betrayed the martyrs of the Liberation War, oppressed women and freedom fighters."

"Many of the current young activists of Jamaat and Chhatra Shibir were not born in 1971. They may not have committed war crimes, but if they hold that politics, they cannot be free from the responsibility of that crime," he added.

Professor Anu Muhammad also commented that the sound of a new fascism is being heard. He said that the movement of new fascist forces is being seen again in the entire society.

He also called for a collective resistance against those who distort history and engage in politics of discrimination and oppression.

In this rally of the Democratic Student Alliance, ‘Acquittal for war criminal ATM Azharul Islam and protest against the attacks by Jamaat-Shibir on processions in Rajshahi University and Chattogram’, Bhashani Parishad General Secretary Harun Ur Rashid, Democratic Rights Committee member Manzoor Al Matin, and Alliance Coordinator Jabir Ahmed also spoke.

Anu Muhammad said that the expectations created in the mass movement were that the people dreamed of a new political structure. "But in reality, it seems that the role of the interim government is indifferent, they do not seem to exist anywhere. Rather, the involvement of government forces is being found in some cases of attacks and torture."

He alleged that when people from any level, including women, students, workers, teachers, speak out for their rights, they are attacked. And those who attack are protected. Because, they have supporters within the government.

Accusing the propaganda of the war crimes trial as being anti-Islamic, Professor Anu Muhammad said: "This is a terrible lie. Most of the martyrs in the 1971 Liberation War were devout Muslims. Therefore, calling the trial of their killers anti-Islamic means insulting Islam."

He said that as long as the politics of war criminals exist, the fight for democracy and human rights will continue. And that fight will be the basis for the path of a non-discriminatory, humane Bangladesh.