Lawmakers of the Awami League-led alliance yesterday in parliament showered Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with praise for the executions of two war criminals.
The lawmakers said the punishment meted out to war criminals had reestablished the rule of law in Bangladesh ending the decade-long culture of impunity.
The lawmakers also said as Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mujahid sought presidential clemency they acknowledged that they committed crimes during the liberation war and also acknowledged that the trial was free and fair.
Ruling party lawmaker Shamim Osman said: “Nobody is above the law, everybody is under the law. We have never imagined that those war criminals would be tried but it happened due to Sheikh Hasina.”
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said: “Whatever she said, she means it. She is never scared of death. She completed the trial of Bangabdhu murder.”
He said Sheikh Hasina was working to rid the nation of stigma. “I congratulate her from my heart for her firm determination to establish the rule of law in the country.”
Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu said Salauddin and Mujahid sought presidential clemency and accepted their crimes. “So, there is no scope of creating controversy over presidential clemency.”
Food Minister Quamrul Islam said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman tried to eradicate the spirit of liberation war from the country by killing thousands of freedom fighters and releasing the convicted war criminals.
Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowhdury Maya said, “Today I am happy. If Sheikh Hasina remains in the office anti-liberation forces would never dare raise their heads.”
Chief whip ASM Firoz said people of the country waited for a long time for the trial of war criminals. Former state minister for liberation war affairs AB Tajul Islam said 16 crore people of the country witnessed the execution of the most audacious parliamentarian.
Former foreign minister Dipu Moni said the prime minister promised to try war criminals and she did it.
“She (PM) freed the nation from the stigma,” she said.
Pointing her finger at the foreign community, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said those who questioned about the trial of war criminals where all these people were when the genocide took place in 1971.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP said Jamaat leaders said there is no war criminals in Bangladesh but through Salauddin and Mujahid’s presidential clemency seeking, it was proved that they were war criminals.
Ruling party lawmaker Abdur Rahman said whole Bangladesh is celebrating the execution of the duo.
Independent lawmaker Rustom Ali Farazi said Sheikh Hasina ensured the trial of war criminals with great courage and established good governance and rule of law in the country.