A 90-year jail sentence instead of capital punishment for Ghulam Azam shocked and surprised many residents of the city Monday, after waiting for long to see the war criminal brought to justice.
While giving their reactions to Monday’s verdict by the war crimes tribunal, many people told the Dhaka Tribune that they believed the reduced punishment was the outcome of a political negotiation between ruling Awami League and opposition Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of the next parliamentary elections.
“The verdict proves the political bankruptcy of our political parties as they will do anything for their own sake,” said Shahbaz Hossian, a banker. “The ruling party influenced the verdict as they want to get Jamaat beside them in the upcoming national elections,” he added.
Some said the verdict was unacceptable to the people of Bangladesh, as Ghulam Azam opposed the birth of the country.
“If Ghulam Azam gets imprisonment, Delwar Hossain Sayedee should also get minor punishment for his role as a war criminal,” said Mohon Kumar Mondol, a non-government organisation worker.
On February 28, the same tribunal sentenced Sayedee to death for crimes against humanity in 1971.
Barkatullah Maruf, who works for a community radio, said the common people should not accept the verdict and protest against it.
“If the people do not protest against the verdict, we will be portrayed as rubbish by the next generation,” Maruf said.
Seeking anonymity, a government official said such lenient punishment on consideration of age alone was totally irrational.
“Ghulam Azam is now 91, But he was tried for war crimes committed in 1971, when he was comparatively young,” the official said.
Ishtiaque Rashid, a teacher of Jahanginagar University, expressed his frustration over the judgment, saying it was least expected.
“When Ghulam Azam ordered the killing of innocent children and youths, he did not think of their age. Then why should we spare him on grounds of (old) age when his crimes were proven,” he added.
Fazle Elahi, a student of Dhaka University, said the punishment given to the war criminal was not enough considering the gravity of his crimes in 1971.
“The verdict could have been acceptable if he had apologised for his crimes,” he added.
However, a few people thought that the verdict was appropriate as Azam was old and would die soon.
