Jamaat-e-Islami sought US assistance to amend war crimes related laws in Bangladesh, confirmed the party’s assistant secretary general Abdur Razzak on Tuesday evening.
He was talking to the media after a meeting with the visiting US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes issues Stephen J Rapp, where a team of nine defence lawyers raised questions about the standards of the ongoing trial.
On Jamaat’s part, senior lawyer barrister Abdur Razzak led the meeting that continued for one hour and 45 minutes. The US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena was also present at the meeting.
“The international community is worried about the standards of the war crimes trial. They think that this will not bring any good for the people of Bangladesh,” claimedAbdur Razzakafter the meeting.
He said, they have raised questions about the standard of the trial and argued that the ongoing trial was not credible.
When asked whether the visiting US Ambassador, Rapp shares the same opinion, Razzak said Rapp would inform the media about his viewsat a press briefing today.
The assistant secretary general of Jamaat said, the meeting was held on Rapp’sinterest,adding that they sought the US’s assistance to amend the War Crimes Law.
When asked if amendment of the law will harm the trial as it is ongoing, he said: “If the government wants, it can amend the law today. Still there are possibilities to get justice for both the side. It is late but not too late.”
If the Jamaat leaders will be benefitted in case of an amendment, he said: “No one will lose if the trial is credible.”
He said: “No international organisation including international human rights organisations, UK Bars said that the trial is credible. It is not of national and international standards.
The International Crimes Tribunals, widely known as war crimes tribunal, already found several top Jamaat leaders guilty of war crimes in 1971 war of liberation.
