Declare 1971 massacre as 'genocide': Speakers at EWU
Speakers at a discussion programme at East West University (EWU) have demanded that the massacre carried out by the Pakistani forces in Bangladesh in 1971 should be declared as 'genocide'.
Mofidul Haque, trustee of Liberation War Museum; Professor Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, director of Center for Genocide Studies of Dhaka University; Prof Dr MM Shahidul Hassan, vice-chancellor of EWU and Prof Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, former PS to Bangabandhu and chief advisor of EWU spoke at the discussion.
The discussion was held at the newly constructed 'Manzur Elahi' auditorium of EWU on Wednesday (1 February), reads a press release.
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Speakers said more than 30 lakh people were killed by the Pakistani forces in 1971. Some 5-6 lakh women were brutally rapped and more than 1 crore people became refugees.
Mentioning that similar incidents occurred in Bosnia, Rwanda, which has been recognised as 'genocide' by the United Nations, they said even though more crimes were committed in Bangladesh in 1971 but still it has not received that recognition.
The speakers demanded the recognition of 'genocide' from the United Nations and also urged the new generation to speak out through more research and writing to achieve that acknowledgment.
Documentaries on the Liberation War 'Stop Genocide' and 'Janajudda 71' were screened at the event. Apart from this, patriotic music was performed by the students of EWU.
Faculty members, officials, staff and students of the university participated in the event.
