Nation must settle war crimes issue for progress: PM

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has said the nation must settle the issue of the trial of the war criminals for its sound progress in future.

Every nation has brought the elements against their independence to book. So, we have to finish the job for making the future of our next generation safe and sound and for their unhindered development, she said.

The prime minister was distributing Swadhinata Purashkar (Independence Award)-2013, the highest state award, at a function at the Osmani Memorial  Auditorium in the city on Monday.

Hasina said the anti-liberation forces were out to make the country unstable through creating anarchy and lawlessness aimed at protecting the war criminals.

But, the trial of the war criminals is a great expectation of the people of the country particularly the youths.

They have lent their support to us in the last general elections for the war criminals trial, she said.

Hasina said the government was pledged- bound to face any conspiracy against the war criminals’ trial, and any anarchy of the anti-liberation force with a strong hand.

‘The government will not tolerate any terrorist activities and militancy,’ she said.

The Swadhinata Purashkar is given every year to Bangladeshi citizens or organisations in recognition to their outstanding contribution to various fields of the national life and help upholding and realisation of the immortal spirit of the freedom struggle of the nation.

This year the award was given to eight distinguished persons. They are late MA Hannan, martyred M Shamsul Haque, Abdul Hamid, Alhaj Dr M Mosharraf Hossain and Qazi Sajjad Ali Jahir Bir Pratik in the Independence and Liberation War category, late Swadesh Ranjan Bose in the field of economy, late Satya Saha in the field of culture, and Dr Mohammad Abdul Hamid Mia in the area of Research and Training.

The prime minister formally conferred the award on them on the eve of  Independence Day 2013. The award contains a gold medal, a check of Tk 2 lakh and a certificate.

On behalf of the award recipients, Dr Mohammad Abdul Hamid Mia expressed his feeling after receiving the award. Cabinet secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan conducted the function and readout the citation about the recipients.

Chief justice, ministers, PM’s advisers, judges of the Supreme Court, parliament members, noted citizens, senior civil and military officials and diplomats attended the function.

The function observed one minute silence paying homage to late president M Zillur Rahman.

The prime minister said people of the country wanted peace and security. The government will do everything to maintain peace and stability in the society, she said. (Source)