From Dhaka's New Age daily:
Law minister Shafique Ahmed said on Wednesday that the government would appoint an investigation agency and a panel of prosecutors by March-April for trial of war crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence.
'I cannot give you any specific date for holding the trial. But there is no doubt that we will conduct the war crimes trial since it is our election pledge,' Shafique told reporters when he was asked to reply whether the appointments of the chairman, investigators and prosecutors would be made within March 26.
Shafique was speaking to newsmen after he visited the courtroom named international war crimes tribunal set up at the old High Court building for holding trial of the war crimes.
Home minister Sahara Khatun, Planning minister AK Khandker, state minister for law Quamrul Islam, housing and public works minister Abdul Mannan Khan, liberation war state minister ABM Tazul Islam, and leaders of the sector commanders' forum and Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee accompanied Shafique Ahmed.
'We will appoint the investigation agency as soon as possible,' Sahara said while she was asked when the home ministry will appoint investigation officers to probe the offences of the war crimes.
The court-room, in which the then former chief justice of the then East Pakistan used to sit, has been refurbished with sitting arrangements for prosecutors, investigation officers, media and observers from home and abroad, among others, for conducting the war crimes trial.
Asked whether the government had prepared any list of suspected criminals in connection with war crimes, the minister said the investigation agency would identify the persons who were involved in war crimes during the country's war of independence.
Replying to a query whether the suspects of the war crimes will be arrested soon, Shafique said, 'They (suspects) will be arrested when the investigation into the crimes will start.'
Expressing the need for holding trial of the war crimes, Sector commanders' Forum secretary general Harun-or Rashid said, 'We have lost at least 3,000 freedom fighters who witnessed the crimes during the war of independence since the present government had decided to hold the trial.'
Harun also urged the government to select one particular ministry which could coordinate matters related to holding of the war crime trials.
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