Genocide scholars, activists, politicians and offspring of martyred intellectuals opined that International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS’s) recognition for crimes committed by Pakistan in Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War as genocide is one step ahead for the country to attain global recognition for the genocide.

“This recognition has taken us one step ahead to attain global recognition for the genocide committed in Bangladesh in 1971. It is our big achievement,” Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque told BSS. 
        
He added: “With the attainment, we will have to continue our efforts to attain global and UN recognition for the genocide.”

The minister congratulated the experts, researchers and activists who have been working to attain the recognition to this end.  

The IAGS has recently adopted a resolution recognising the crimes committed by Pakistan occupation forces in Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
 
In the international arena, the IASG resolution is an important recognition of the atrocities committed during the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971.

On behalf of the people of Bangladesh, Bangladesh government and Liberation War Affairs Ministry, Mozammel Haque also extended thanks and gratitude to the IAGS for the recognition. 

“Even though it was too late, they realized that indiscriminate killings and genocide had taken place in Bangladesh in 1971. For this reason, thanks to them.

 Hopefully they will continue their support and efforts in attaining global recognition for the genocide,” he said.

The minister said the indiscriminate killings by Pakistan forces on the innocent, unopposed people and even the women and children who were not involved in the war in any way are unprecedented in the history of the world.

In such a short period of time, there is no such incident of massacre in the history of the world, he mentioned.

Talking to BSS, Liberation War Museum Trustee Mofidul Hoque said: “The IAGS’s recognition is the outcome of our long-struggle and continuous efforts. Definitely it is our big achievement.

 Through this achievement, our work and responsibilities have increased a lot.”

He added: “Now we have to work more vigorously and collectively to get recognition at the United Nations and other international arenas.”

Mofidul Hoque said Genocide of Bangladesh is the cruel truth of history which turned out to be a forgotten genocide due to geopolitical reasons.   
   
On January 10, 1972, in his speech, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman announced for realizing the recognition of the genocide and holding the trial of the war criminals, he said.

At that time, 195 people were identified as war criminals but it was not possible to bring them to justice due to various political pressures, he mentioned.

After assuming office in 2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government formed the International Criminal Tribunal in 2010 and started the process of trying war criminals.

 It was a major achievement of the Bangladesh Genocide issue in the international arena. Through this, on the one hand, the trial of local war criminals was started, and on the other hand, the work of international recognition was also started.

Mofidul Hoque said the Liberation War Museum established the Centre for the Study of Genocide and Justice (CSGJ) to attain international recognition for the genocide.

Through this, the post-Liberation War generation and youth researchers are getting opportunities to work on genocide, he said.

He said there will be a discussion on the resolution adopted by IAGS at its 16th biennial conference “International Conference on Genocide and Justice” in July next.

Aamra Ekattor Chairperson and valiant freedom fighter Mahbub Zaman extended thanks to IAGS and said it is big achievement.

Earlier, three more international organizations including Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Genocide Watch also recognized the Bangladesh genocide, he said, adding that Canada is also officially taking some initiatives while Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister is also very active in this regard. 
  
With the recognition of IAGS, one more organizations added to the list and this recognition will play an important role in attaining UN recognition for Bangladesh genocide, Mahbub Zaman said.

He said, an international seminar will be held on May 22 at Dhaka University to press home for the demand for the recognition of Bangladesh genocide.

 It will be attended by government policy-makers, genocide scholars and activists from home and abroad.
 
Talking to BSS, Projonmo Ekattor President and Shaheed Munier Choudhury’s son Asif Munier said though IAGS members have supported Bangladesh in their research in the past, getting this recognition from a collective platform is a big achievement.

 “We must utilize this recognition as our strategy,” he said. 

He said there could be opposition in getting international recognition. Politicians, experts, researchers, activists, civil society should collectively think of appropriate strategies for recognition, he said.

Martyred Intellectual Serajuddin Hossain’s son genocide scholar Touhid Reza Noor placed the proposal to the executive board of the IAGS.

He said, in order to reach the desired goal on the journey of this recognition, the Bangladesh government needs to create an effective roadmap (proper plan) in this regard.

He suggested the concerned departments of the Bangladesh government to request for passing resolutions regarding the genocide that took place in Bangladesh in 1971 in the parliaments of various countries and to make uninterrupted follow-up on its realization.

Touhid Reza Noor, also Projonmo Ekattor founding general secretary, said  called for engaging the families of Liberation War martyrs and eyewitnesses of the massacres that took place at various places during the liberation war with this recognition campaign.

Martyred Intellectual Dr. Fazle Rabbi’s daughter Dr Nusrat Rabbi said it took a long time to get this recognition. 

“We have a lot of work ahead. Pakistan must pay war reparations and apologize to Bangladesh,” she said.

She demanded the trial of Pakistan’s war criminals in the international court.
 
She urged the Bangladesh government to make efforts to permanently display the evidences, documents and history of the 1971 massacre at the world’s major Holocaust museums.