Hasina to be returned to face verdict: Home Minister
Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Photo courtesy: BSS.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said there is no opportunity for Sheikh Hasina to surrender. She will be brought back to the country to execute the verdict delivered by the court, and if there are any options for appeal, it will be determined strictly by the law and the judiciary.
The Home Minister made these remarks as the chief guest at a discussion titled "The Turning Point of the Mass Uprising," organized by the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at the TSC Auditorium of Dhaka University today, Wednesday.
The government has taken measures through Interpol to bring back former ministers, members of parliament, and government officials who have fled abroad after being accused of genocide and crimes against humanity in the country. The Home Minister also claimed that former IGP Benazir Ahmed was arrested as part of that ongoing legal process.
The Minister expressed hope that it would be possible to bring Benazir back to the country very soon to face justice.
Regarding the trial of the Awami League, Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the government does not support banning any political party through an executive order. The responsibilities and accountability of the Awami League will be determined through legal and judicial processes based on allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity.
"According to Article 47 of the Constitution, it is possible to try any party or organization on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Since the government was run under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League, as an organization, must also bear responsibility for the actions of her government," the Home Minister noted.
The Home Minister alleged that Awami League leaders and activists were involved in the genocide, and the party has yet to show any remorse or offer an apology for the incidents. Instead, it is attempting to portray the participants of the July movement as criminals.
Reflecting on the spirit of the July mass uprising, Salahuddin Ahmed said that July does not belong to any single individual or political party; it is a symbol of the struggle of the entire nation. This spirit must not be used as a tool for political business. The energy of July must be harnessed to build a democratic Bangladesh so that no future government ever dares to exhibit autocratic behavior.
