Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Sunday assured the nation that all crimes committed over the past 15 years would be prosecuted, revealing that they have so far gathered information on 1,600 cases of enforced disappearances during the Awami League regime, a number that could rise to 3,500.
Addressing the nation on completion of 100 days of the interim government, he also said they would seek the repatriation of the deposed dictator, Sheikh Hasina, from India.
“Not only for the murders of July and August, but we’ll prosecute all the crimes committed over the past 15 years. Many people have been subjected to enforced disappearance and murdered during this time,” the Chief Adviser said.
Mentioning that his government has set up a commission to investigate the incidents of enforced disappearance, he said, “The head of the commission informed me that they have received information on 1,600 victims of enforced disappearance. They believe this number could exceed 3,500.”
Dr Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist, also said many victims are reluctant to file complaints with the commission, fearing that they may be victimised again by the accused persons.
“I want to assure you that you should report your complaints to the commission without hesitation. No one can harm you again,” he said.
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The interim government chief said Bangladesh, which had been ravaged by autocratic rule, must now be rebuilt through united efforts.
“After the July-August revolution, we inherited a country in chaos. Law enforcement forces placed in front of the people to maintain the autocratic rule,” he observed.
During the revolution, Dr Yunus said around 1,500 students and workers were martyred. “Our government is meticulously collecting data on every death. Approximately 19,931 people were injured in this revolution.”
He said arrangements have been made for the treatment of the injured at various specialised hospitals, including 13 in Dhaka.
“Every day, new martyrs are added to the list, having lost their lives due to the tyranny of dictatorship. We’ll ensure that every murder is prosecuted. The initiative we have taken to bring those responsible for the July-August murders to trial is progressing well,” the Chief Adviser said.
He said the accounts of the victims, as received from the members of the Enforced Disappearance Commission, are deeply shocking.
“We will bring those involved in these incidents to justice. No matter how powerful the accused or which force they belong to, none will be spared. Not only in the country, but we have also taken initiatives to prosecute those responsible for the enforced disappearances and murders of the July-August massacre in the international court. I have already discussed this matter with Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court,” Dr Yunus said.
He reiterated that the families of all martyrs in the July-August mass uprising will be rehabilitated. “Not a single family will be left out. The government will bear the full cost of treatment for all injured students, workers, and citizens,” he mentioned.
The Chief Adviser said a comprehensive list has been prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Health for the long-term and costly treatment of the injured and the welfare of the martyr families.
For those who lost their vision due to bullet injuries, the Chief Adviser said arrangements have been made to bring corneas from Nepal for their treatment. “Besides, those in need will be sent abroad for medical treatment at the government’s expense. No martyr or injured student or worker from the July uprising will be excluded from the rehabilitation plans. This is the interim government’s commitment.”