Bangladesh Genocide: Bangladesh Genocide:

the Crime Yet to the Crime Yet to be be

TriedTried

the Crime Yet to the Crime Yet to be be

TriedTriedABM ABM NasirNasir, Ph.D., Ph.D.Associate Professor of EconomicsAssociate Professor of Economics

North Carolina Central UniversityNorth Carolina Central University

Phone: (919) 530Phone: (919) 530--73727372

Durham, NC 27707Durham, NC 27707

Email: Email: anasir@nccu.eduanasir@nccu.edu; ; nasnc@yahoo.comnasnc@yahoo.com

What is GenocideWhat is Genocide

Raphael Lemkin in 1943 in his, Raphael Lemkin in 1943 in his, “Axis “Axis Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of OccupationOccupation--Analysis of GovernmentAnalysis of Government--Proposal for Redress (1944)”Proposal for Redress (1944)”

What is GenocideWhat is Genocide

According to Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime ofGenocide, Article II, 1948-the United Nation

…any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in …any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in

whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group,whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group,whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group,whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group,

as such:as such:

•• Killing members of the group;Killing members of the group;

•• Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

•• Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring

about its physical destruction in whole or in part;about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

•• Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

•• Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group

Bangladesh GenocideBangladesh Genocide

•• “Genocide in east Pakistan is perhaps the “Genocide in east Pakistan is perhaps the worst genocide in shortest time span in the worst genocide in shortest time span in the history of the world”history of the world” ––United Nation United Nation December, 1981, the 33rd anniversary of the December, 1981, the 33rd anniversary of the declaration of declaration of the Convention on the the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Article II, 1948.Genocide, Article II, 1948.

•• The least documented, the least researched The least documented, the least researched and the least known genocide.and the least known genocide.

Genocide: Post World War IIGenocide: Post World War II

Genocide in East Pakistan, Genocide in East Pakistan,

March 25March 25--December 16, 1971December 16, 1971

Genocide in East Pakistan, Genocide in East Pakistan,

March 25March 25--December 16, 1971December 16, 1971

Genocide committed in four Genocide committed in four

phasesphases

•• Nights of March 25 and 26Nights of March 25 and 26--worst hit places worst hit places •• Dhaka University teachers and student housing, Dhaka University teachers and student housing, •• EPR (Border guard headquarters, Pilkhana) EPR (Border guard headquarters, Pilkhana) •• Police headquarters (Rajarbag) Police headquarters (Rajarbag) •• Police headquarters (Rajarbag) Police headquarters (Rajarbag) •• Shakhari Bazar (a minority neighborhood in old Dhaka)Shakhari Bazar (a minority neighborhood in old Dhaka)

•• Killing of Bengali soldiers at barracks across the nationKilling of Bengali soldiers at barracks across the nation

•• During the nineDuring the nine--month warmonth war

•• Murder of intellectuals towards the end of the WarMurder of intellectuals towards the end of the War

Trial of the PerpetratorsTrial of the Perpetrators

•• After the war of liberation, two laws were After the war of liberation, two laws were enacted:enacted:

•• Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order of 197, Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order of 197, •• Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order of 197, Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order of 197, 24/1/72 No. 8.24/1/72 No. 8.

•• International Crime Tribunal International Crime Tribunal

Repeal of the lawsRepeal of the laws

•• Collaborators Order (proviso of Article 8 of 1972)Collaborators Order (proviso of Article 8 of 1972) was was repealed under a Martial Law Promulgamation on repealed under a Martial Law Promulgamation on

December 31, 1975 December 31, 1975

•• With the repeal of the law, 20,000 war criminals convicted With the repeal of the law, 20,000 war criminals convicted of killings, rapes, treasons, arsons, lootings and destruction of killings, rapes, treasons, arsons, lootings and destruction of killings, rapes, treasons, arsons, lootings and destruction of killings, rapes, treasons, arsons, lootings and destruction

of properties were released and later rehabilitated with of properties were released and later rehabilitated with

enactment of the Political Party Regulation on May 4, 1976, enactment of the Political Party Regulation on May 4, 1976,

allowing allowing communal politics in Bangladeshcommunal politics in Bangladesh. .

•• Later, constitutional amendment of April 6, 1979 (referred to Later, constitutional amendment of April 6, 1979 (referred to as 5as 5thth amendment) ratified both amendments and replaced amendment) ratified both amendments and replaced

one of the core philosophies of the Liberation War one of the core philosophies of the Liberation War

SecularismSecularism with “absolute trust and faith in the Almighty with “absolute trust and faith in the Almighty

Allah." Allah."

ConsequencesConsequences

Consequences of the impunity:Consequences of the impunity:

1.1. Emergence of political Islam to the benefits Emergence of political Islam to the benefits of rightists, antiof rightists, anti--liberation forcesliberation forces--political political rehabilitation of the collaboratorsrehabilitation of the collaborators

2.2. The murders of eminent proThe murders of eminent pro--liberation liberation personalities including teachers, political and personalities including teachers, political and cultural activistscultural activists--similar to those in 1971similar to those in 1971

3.3. The systematic attempts to rewrite historyThe systematic attempts to rewrite history

Emergence of Political Emergence of Political

IslamIslam•• Institutionalizing religion in to political system through two constitutional Institutionalizing religion in to political system through two constitutional

amendments (5amendments (5thth and 8and 8thth amendments)amendments)

•• Violence against Hindu minority in 1990, 1992, 2001 and Ahmadiya Muslims Violence against Hindu minority in 1990, 1992, 2001 and Ahmadiya Muslims

in 2005in 2005

•• Attacks on cultural activities [Chayanat in Dhaka, Udichi in Jessore] Attacks on cultural activities [Chayanat in Dhaka, Udichi in Jessore]

•• Killings of proKillings of pro--liberation personalities [Prof. Humayun Azad of Dhaka liberation personalities [Prof. Humayun Azad of Dhaka

University, Prof. Yunus of Rajshahi University, SMS Kibria, former foreign University, Prof. Yunus of Rajshahi University, SMS Kibria, former foreign

minister of Bangladesh]minister of Bangladesh]

•• Campaign of terror by the religious extremists manifested through series of Campaign of terror by the religious extremists manifested through series of

bomb blast during 1999bomb blast during 1999--2006, killing hundreds and wounding thousands2006, killing hundreds and wounding thousands

Campaign of terror across the Campaign of terror across the

countrycountry

•• Between 2001 and Between 2001 and 2006, 123 people died 2006, 123 people died

and 1458 injured by a and 1458 injured by a

nationnation--wide bomb and wide bomb and

campaign targeting campaign targeting

propro--liberation forcesliberation forces

••

Bomb blast across Bangladesh during 2001-06

461

370

460

300

400

500

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propro--liberation forcesliberation forces

•• Perpetrators of the Perpetrators of the bombing campaign bombing campaign

affiliated under the affiliated under the

banner JMB and banner JMB and

Harkat ul Jihad are Harkat ul Jihad are

often traced to be often traced to be

linked with the Jamaitlinked with the Jamait--

ee--IslamiIslami

14 27 929 31

3

102

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100

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

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Systematic attempt to Systematic attempt to

wipe out historywipe out history

•• Distorted views in text booksDistorted views in text books

•• Distortion in the history of liberation warDistortion in the history of liberation war

•• Silent ban on liberation War related events from the Silent ban on liberation War related events from the media throughout 1975media throughout 1975--19961996

••media throughout 1975media throughout 1975--19961996

•• Destruction of the liberation war documents from Destruction of the liberation war documents from the libraries across the countrythe libraries across the country

Genesis of the crisis in Genesis of the crisis in

rulesrules of lawof law•• The current state of violence in The current state of violence in

particular and law and order situation in particular and law and order situation in general in Bangladesh can be attributed general in Bangladesh can be attributed to the impunity and social and political to the impunity and social and political rehabilitation of the suspects of war rehabilitation of the suspects of war crimes.crimes.rehabilitation of the suspects of war rehabilitation of the suspects of war crimes.crimes.

•• Unless impunity to mass murders Unless impunity to mass murders revoked and justice served. The country revoked and justice served. The country will continue to fail to ensure safe, will continue to fail to ensure safe, secured and free lives for its citizens.secured and free lives for its citizens.