Farida Akhter, adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on Saturday said that if the interim government has a single responsibility, it should be to bring Sheikh Hasina to justice.
"The trial of Sheikh Hasina must take place on this very soil and during the tenure of this government. If the interim government has any task at all, it is to try Sheikh Hasina and those who are the killers,” she remarked while speaking as a special guest at the “Jagroto July: Awakening of the People” event held in Mirpur, Dhaka.
She said: “To be honest, no one has filed any complaint yet. No one has said their son made a mistake. No one has said, ‘Why did my son go there, I am devastated.’ No one said that. This is something to deeply note. Not even once. Those who were injured also never said they were wrong. But yes, they said one thing—they want justice, and justice must be served.”
Farida continued: “The interim government has been formed, and it came into being over the blood of these July martyrs. Many of the injured are still bedridden at home or in hospitals. Some have lost limbs, some their eyesight. These were vibrant young people who could see the world just a day before, and now that world is dark for them. Every time I hear their stories, I feel we must make a vow again and again—if justice is not served, then for the families of the martyrs, whose children now lie in graves, and for the parents who are alive but feel lifeless—what peace can they find?
"Some told us they had no Eid, they didn’t break their fasts during Ramadan. I visited many of them. We don’t know when we’ll see a smile on their faces again. But if justice is done, they might find peace.”
Regarding the legitimacy of the current government, she said: “You talk about elections. A government will surely come through elections. But who said we are unelected? The students and the people who brought about this change—they are the ones who built the state and formed the government. We were elected by them. So our responsibility is to fulfill their demands. There can be no room for mistakes. We must deliver justice.”
Members of the martyrs’ families present at the event expressed frustration, saying they had yet to see any progress toward justice.
They described the ongoing process as a farce, noting that in many places, cases were not even being accepted.
They also alleged that they faced harassment when demanding justice, and urged the government to swiftly prosecute those responsible for the mass killings.
