Trial of Pakistan's Genocide in Bangladesh Can Take Place Anytime

A top diplomat of India has said the trial of the Pakistan occupation army who committed genocide during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 can take place anytime as there is no statute of limitations in terms of times.

''I think we should be clear about it without getting into legal formalities,'' Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami said while speaking at DCAB Talk at Jatiya Press Club on Monday.

He said there is no statute of limitation on any kind of arrangement that may have been arrived at and this is something entirely within the government of Bangladesh to assess the history and see how this goes forward.

Doraiswami came up with the remarks when he was asked which provision of the 1974 tripartite agreement is holding back to try the Pakistani generals who committed genocide during the War of Liberation in 1971.

''History is history,'' said the High Commissioner, noting that the question is historically very relevant in this historic year when Bangladesh is set to celebrate 50 years of its Independence.

Bangladesh has approached the UN to recognize the genocide committed by Pakistan and hold it responsible. There is a long-standing demand from the people of Bangladesh to ask the UN to globally observe March 25 as National Genocide Remembrance Day. This effort will gain momentum next year.

The UN International Day of Victims of Genocide is observed on Dec 9, the day in which the intergovernmental organisation adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948.