Historians, academics and freedom fighters yesterday said the European Union legates not paying homage on Victory Day could be termed as “breaching diplomatic norms.”
They also said the EU might be trying to convey a message that they were against the death penalties handed down to the war criminals.
Eminent citizens made the observation at the special premier of a documentary titled “Bangladesh Kon Pothe” – translated which way Bangladesh is headed – directed by Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee leader Shahriar Kabir at the Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs auditorium in the city.
On December 16, going against diplomatic practice, EU envoys based in Dhaka did not pay homage at the National Memorial on the Victory Day.
The EU Dhaka office said the envoys were busy attending a meeting and preparing a report on the political situation in Bangladesh. Later, however, they attended the president’s reception at Bangabhaban.
Speaking at the premier, historian Muntasir Mamun said: “They boycotted the programme since they are not in favour of death penalty. Some of us are against monarchy. What about that?”
Shahriar Kabir said: “It [paying homage] is mandatory for them, also is attending all kinds of national celebration, especially on the Victory Day. They said they could not go there because of a meeting. But the meeting was at noon and paying homage started around 7:30 in the morning.”
“All they are trying is to convey the message that they are not in favour of death penalty. That execution was carried out in line with country’s laws. They do not have any authority to comment on this,” Shahriar said.
On December 12, war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah was hanged to death for committing crimes against humanity in 1971. A number of international organisations and countries expressed dissatisfaction with the execution saying capital punishment violated human rights.
Shafique Ahmmed, former law minister and the prime minister’s legal affairs adviser in the polls-time government, however, differed with these observations. “I do not know how far making such observation regarding the EU is practical.”
He told the German ambassador in a meeting yesterday that the war crimes trials were conducted following national laws and the verdicts therefore were national issues. “We accommodated international crimes such as crimes against humanity in the national law.”
For upholding the rule of law, ensuring justice to the victims and ending the culture of impunity, death penalty was a must, Shafique said he told the German ambassador.