Human Rights Congress of Bangladesh minorities on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8 called on the US and the international community to recognize the genocide of Bangladeshis by Pakistan.
“Take immediate steps to bring to trial the 195 current and former members of the Pakistan Army, who were recorded as being responsible for perpetrating the violence against women,” read the statement of Human Rights Congress of Bangladesh minorities.
“War crimes, if left unrecognized and unpunished, only lead to more aggression and suffering. There is no better time to reiterate that than today, as we see millions of people- women and children face death and destitution,” added the statement.
More than 50 years after the Pakistan Army perpetrated violence and sexual assault on more than 300,000 Bengali women, and killed three million people, the war crimes that were committed have not been recognized as genocide.
Not only have the crimes not been recognized, but many of the war criminals went on to become powerful generals and administrators in Pakistan, influencing decision-making even today.
Meanwhile, prominent genocide prevention watchdogs like Genocide Watch and Lemkin Institute have already recognized what occurred in Bangladesh in 1971 as genocide.
“I believe that recognition by the US and the International community will send a strong message to modern-day aggressors like the Taliban, that even 50 years from now, they will be held accountable for the crimes that are being committed today,” added the statement.