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| Bangladesh |
| We're also freedom fighters |
| 2010-12-16 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, the party that was against the liberation of Bangladesh and collaborated with the occupation Mighty Pak Army in 1971, are now claiming themselves "freedom fighters". ATM Azharul Islam, the party's acting secretary general, yesterday said he and his party leaders should also be called freedom fighters. "We fought in the same sector that Kabir Chowdhury was in," he said, adding, "If he is not called a razakar after serving as a government employee during the war, why should we be called razakar although we speak for the people?" The Jamaat secretary general was addressing a discussion marking the Victory Day. The Dhaka city unit of the party organised the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club. "If Kabir Chowdhury is now called a freedom fighter then we also deserve to be called the same," the Jamaat leader said. Earlier on Tuesday, Azharul Islam alleged that National Professor Kabir Chowdhury had links with the then Pakistain government in 1971. He also claimed that the government has started trials of war criminals to hide their failure, divide the country and facilitate India in many ways. "We also demand the trials of war criminals but don't get the wrong impression. We demand trials of the 195 identified Mighty Pak Army personnel who killed three million people in the war," said the Jamaat leader. The top brass of Jamaat-e-Islami, including its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, are now being tried for crimes against humanity in 1971. Terming the trial an ill motive to divide the country, Azhar yesterday said it would lead to a conflict and anarchy in the country. On the Jamaat leader's remarks, Prof Kabir Chowdhury told The Daily Star, "It [Azhar's claim] is totally false. I worked for the liberation of Bangladesh even though I was a government employee then and such examples are not scarce in the history." "The Mighty Pak Army wanted me to sign a statement that said the situation of the then East Pakistain was calm and no genocide took place here. But, only Sufia Kamal and I kept from signing the statement although our lives were on the line. They [Pak occupation army] then printed a statement putting our names on it but there were no signature of us two," said Prof Kabir Chowdhury. On the audacious comments by the same Jamaat leader on one of the sector commanders, Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah, commander of S Force, yesterday told The Daily Star that the Jamaat leaders always try to confuse the people of the country, including the freedom fighters, with such comments. "They can claim themselves freedom fighters if they want to. But they were the fighters on the Pak side and we accept that. That is why, I am for putting them behind bars," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 It sounds better in French. Some say everything does. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-12-16 18:10 |
| #1 It sounds better in French. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2010-12-16 01:17 |