Bangladesh announces tribal to try war crimes during its 1971 independence war
By APThursday, March 25, 2010
Bangladesh sets up war crimes tribunal
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladesh has set up a war crimes tribunal to try people accused of murder, torture, rape and arson during its 1971 independence war.
A Law Ministry statement Thursday named three high court judges to sit in the tribunal.
Bangladesh began war crimes trials in 1973, but they were halted in 1975 when the nation’s independence leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was assassinated in a military coup. Subsequent governments failed to address the issue, despite repeated calls for justice from war heroes and families of those slain.
Rahman’s daughter, current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, pledged during her election campaign to prosecute war criminals. Last year, Parliament passed a resolution for their quick trial.
