Debar fleeing war criminals: Govt directive to exit points

Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun yesterday said her ministry ordered all concerned authorities to guard all points so that no war criminal can flee the country.

“All relevant information about the war criminals has already been sent to the respective places,” she told journalists after attending the 23rd Annual Conference’08 of Bangladesh Law Association (BLA) at Kazi Motahar Hossain Bhaban in Dhaka University.

Replying to a query, the Home Minister said the recent incidents like murder of a businessman and stabbing of a DU student are being looked into seriously. “I ordered arrest of the criminals involved with the incidents.”

Asked about the clashes at the Baitul Mukarram national mosque over the appointment of ‘Khatib’, she said: “I told police not to raise their batons against any musallis (devotees).”

Addressing the conference as special guest, State Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Advocate M Quamrul Islam sought cooperation from the members of the Bangladesh Law Association in the trial of the war criminals, a major pre-election pledge of the present government.

“Without your cooperation, it would be difficult to hold the trial of the war criminals,” he said.

Earlier, in the morning, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique inaugurated the conference with outgoing BLA president M Abdur Rab Hawlader in the chair.

Prof Dr Mizanur Rahman of Dhaka University, Golam Mawla Rony MP, Adv ABM Waliur Rahman, Adv Nizamul Haq Mollah, judges from different districts, members of different bar associations, former and current students of the DU Law Faculty were present at the conference.

Source: The New Nation