'Justice first, elections later'
National elections cannot be held in Bangladesh before ensuring justice for the killings under the 15-year regime of Awami League, the Jatiyo Nagorik Committee said today.
"Murderers from the Awami League's reign must be brought to justice… justice first, elections later," the committee's convener Nasir Uddin Patwary told a rally organised at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "If the martyrs and the injured of the July uprising do not get justice, then whether it is politics or elections, both will fail," he said.
The rally was organised by Mayer Daak to mark the International Human Rights Day, a platform representing families of victims of enforced disappearances reportedly carried out by law enforcement agencies and security forces during the tenure of AL.
The event, which started in the afternoon, brought together families of victims of enforced disappearances and killings, as well as leaders from political parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
"On the 76th International Human Rights Day, we are now able to hold a rally in an open space freely and independently -- something not possible previously. This is an achievement of July 36," said rights activist Nur Khan.
In the last 15 years, the AL regime's actions -- killings and enforced disappearance of opposition, and the mass killings of Hefazat members in 2013 -- are all marks of genocide, he said.
During this time, people could not speak out. Many were disappeared forcibly, and while some returned, they were silenced. After July 36, many of them have opened up.
Nur Khan, also a member of the inquiry commission on enforced disappearances, spoke about the secret three-foot cells, known as "Aynaghar," where people were held for months or even years.
"They wrote many things on the walls, including 'I love my country,'" he said.
"We now have the opportunity to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, a chance that came after July 36. We cannot miss it," he emphasised.
Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said those who facilitated a safe exit for the fascists from Bangladesh, should be identified.
"They will not be spared. Fascism must be eradicated from every corner of the country," he added.
"Using 1971 as a pretext, Awami League turned it into a tool to dominate, and they must be brought to justice. Those who helped former prime minister Sheikh Hasina flee the country must also be held accountable."
Referring to India, Hasnat added, "India must not become a haven for terrorists. No more submissive diplomacy with India."
Representatives from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Robert F Kennedy Human Rights expressed solidarity with the victims through video messages.
Comments