Flawed Razakar list: Nirmul Committee for judicial probe to find perpetrators

Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee on Thursday demanded that a judicial probe commission be formed to identify the people who prepared the flawed list of Razakars.

The Nirmul Committee, a forum formed in 1992 to advocate the trial of war criminals, also wants to know why the names of freedom fighters were put on the Razakar list.

The president of the forum, Shahriar Kabir, placed the demands at a press briefing in the Sagar-Runi auditorium of Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Thursday afternoon.

He read out a written paper where he said, "The inclusion of freedom fighters in the list of Razakars hurts us."

"It is somewhat  acceptable if the names of some Razakars are dropped while preparing the list. But the names of freedom fighters on the Razakar list is unacceptable. It is not a mistake. It is a serious offence," he said.

Freedom fighters liberated the country; they are the best sons of the nation, he said. 

"The inclusion of their names in the list of Razakars is an insult to the 1971 liberation war and to the people who uphold the spirit of the liberation war," he added.

"After 1975, anti-liberation forces controlled state power directly and indirectly. They removed many documents on the liberation war and on Razakars, Al-Badars and Al Shams," Shahriar Kabir said. 

"The supporters of anti-liberation forces  also dominate various departments of the government. They might be connected to the preparation of the list," he alleged.

He said the Nirmul Committee earlier demanded coordination between civil society members and  government officials in preparing the list of Razakar and the list of martyred intellectuals. 

"But civil society members and researchers on the liberation war have been unexpectedly excluded," he added.

"Many books were written on Razakars and anti-liberation forces. It is unfortunate that the government did not consult the books before finalising the list of Razakars," said Shahriar Kabir.

Criticising the comments made by BNP leaders over the Razakar list, he said 11,000 Razakars, rapists, Al-Badars and Al Shams were released during the regime of President Ziaur Rahman; this is why the BNP has always been against the preparation of the list.

Speaking at the press conference, Professor Dr Muntasir Uddin Khan Mamun of Dhaka University said the ministers continued giving excuses on how the names of freedom fighters got on the list.

"Neither the speech of the liberation war affairs minister nor that of the home affairs minister is correct. I do not know why they talk like this," he said.

The list released by the liberation war affairs ministry is a 'mystery', he said, adding that the government officials who prepared it might have tampered with it. 

"That is why, we demand a judicial probe commission to investigate the matter," the professor said.

He also blamed the liberation war affairs ministry for irregularities even in preparing the list of freedom fighters.

"Many government officials acquired freedom fighter certificates although they did not take part in the war. The crests were forged by officials of the ministry, but the ministry did not take any action against them," he said.

He also demanded that the updated list of Razakars be released before March 26 next year. 

"We have many books which give the names of people who were part of the anti-liberation forces. The ministry can take consult these books," he said. 

The Nirmul Committee Vice-President Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury and Joint-Secretary Kamruzzaman, International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) prosecutor Golam Arif Tipu's daughter Dana Nazli, freedom fighter Advocate Abdus Salam's daughter Julfia Begum Bulu and freedom fighter Mirza Latif's daughter Selina Mirza Mukti, among others, spoke at the press conference.

On December 15, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs published a list of 10,789 Razakars who collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces during the War of Liberation in 1971. The list drew huge criticism as it included the names of some freedom fighters.