‘Crimes against humanity’: Jamaat chief Shafiqur applauds initiative to bring army officers to justice

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has welcomed the initiative to bring several Bangladesh Army officers accused of involvement in enforced disappearances and murders to justice.

In a Facebook post published at 7am on Sunday, Shafiqur said the army had “already made a clear announcement to support this trial process” and that “the accused persons have been taken into the custody of the Army”.

He added, “We welcome this initiative of the Army.”

The remarks came days after the International Crimes Tribunal issued arrest warrants against 32 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in three cases related to enforced disappearances during the Awami League regime.

Among those accused, 25 are current or former army officers.

At a press conference in the Dhaka Cantonment on Saturday afternoon, Army Adjutant Gen Maj Gen Md Hakimuzzaman said that of the 25 officers named in the warrants, 15 are currently serving and one has gone on LPR (Leave Preparatory to Retirement).

He added that 15 officers are now in Army custody, while one remains missing.

In his post, Shafiqur wrote: “We hope that no injustice will be imposed on anyone. Through a transparent trial, specific criminals will face appropriate punishment. As this will erase past responsibilities, in the future, someone will be forced to refrain from using their profession or identity to harm people’s lives and property. As a result, the nation will benefit in the long run.”

He began his post by saying, “The process of bringing some Bangladesh Army officers involved in disappearances and murders to justice has begun. The people of Bangladesh want to be proud of their patriotic Army. Sadly, some members of this force have completely failed to respect the existing laws and human rights of the country.”

He continued, “The individuals involved were blind accomplices in implementing the agenda of killing opponents at the instigation of the fascist government. As a result, a frightening environment of enforced disappearances and murders was created in the country, which is very unfortunate for a nation. However, the entire institution cannot be tarnished due to the crimes of a few specific individuals. The responsibility for the crimes will fall solely on the individuals concerned.”