European Bengali diaspora demands apology from Pakistan for the genocide committed in ‘71

Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor,Shottobani

London: The European Bangladesh Forum (EBF), in association with other diaspora groups, organised a demonstration on 14 April 2021 to demand an ‘unconditional official apology’ from Pakistan for the genocide they committed in Bangladesh during 1971. The demonstration took place at Paleisstraaat, near Pakistan Embassy in the Hague, participated by the Bangladeshis living in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The demonstrators carried banners, placards depicting the atrocities committed by Pakistani soldiers and chanted slogans demanding justice.

The speakers at the demo demanded of the world leaders, including the European governments, to hold Pakistan responsible for the crime in the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice. They said the world media and several news agencies reported the Pakistan military’s Bengali massacre. Pakistan Army systematically also killed Bengali intellectuals and professionals.

The demonstration was addressed by Mr Jahangir Chowdhury Ratan, General Secretary, Belgium Awami League, Mr Kawsar Ahmed, a human rights activist, the Netherlands, Mr Emdad Hossain, Acting President, Netherlands Awami League, Mr Emran Hussain, Vice President, Netherlands Awami League, Mr Murad Khan, General Secretary, Netherlands Awami League, Mr Shahidul Haque, President, Belgium Awami League, Mr Bikash Roy, founding Secretary of European Bangladesh Forum (EBF), Mr Akhteruzzaman, Publicity Secretary, Belgium Awami League, Mr Miraz Hossain, Joint Secretary, Netherlands Awami Jubo League, Mr Amzad Hossain, Global Solidarity for Peace, Belgium, Mr Khokon Sharif, Advisor, Belgium Awami League and Bikash Chowdhury Barua of EBF.

In a petition to the Pakistani Ambassador Shujjat Ali Rathore, the organisers demanded that the Pakistan government offer an official unconditional apology for the genocide committed in Bangladesh during 1971, try the Pakistan army and civil officials who were responsible for the genocide, provide compensation to the families of those killed and compensate Bangladesh for the destruction of the national assets and take back the stranded Pakistanis (Biharis).