Cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor said on Friday only the parties that believe in the liberation war and the country’s independence should be allowed to join polls.
“Only those parties that believe in the liberation war should be allowed to participate in elections. After 47 years of independence, the anti-liberation forces shouldn’t have the right to speak about polls, let alone taking part in polls and coming to power,” Noor observed, according to UNB news agency.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bangladesh Awami League (AL) president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina urged all to remain alert so that what she said the anti-liberation elements can never come to power.
Ruling AL often brands its arch enemy Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), its key ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and their allies as “anti-liberation parties”.
The cultural affairs minister, Asaduzzaman Noor, made the observation while inaugurating a daylong seminar on ‘Genocide, grave of mass killing and genocide survey’ organised by Centre for Research on Genocide and Liberation War at Bangla Academy’s poet Shamsur Rahman Seminar Room.
Mentioning that the Liberation War and its history are inseparable part of the cultural practice, he regretted, “We couldn’t attain the international recognition of the genocide of 1971 which is very sad.”
On the other hand, oppression and torture of Rohingyas have received international recognition, Noor said, adding, “But the genocide of 1971 was severer and more horrific. The horrible picture of the genocide should be conveyed not only to the whole world but also to the new generation in details.”
“The brutality and barbarity of the 1971 massacre are not to be concealed. The torture and rape of women should not be viewed as a shameful act. Instead, the victims should be given the opportunity to speak up about their bravery, torture and sufferings making those public,” he said.
