Pakistan army committed genocide in Bangladesh against Bengalis and Hindus during the Bangladesh Liberation war, stated a newly introduced resolution in the US House that condemns Pakistan’s actions and called on President Joe Biden to recognise the atrocities of 1971 war.
The legislation brought by Congressmen Ro Khanna, and Steve Chabot, recognise Pakistan’s atrocities against ethnic groups constitute crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.
“…condemns the atrocities committed by the Armed Forces of Pakistan against the people of Bangladesh from March 1971 to December 1971; recognizes that such atrocities against ethnic Bengalis and Hindus constitute crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide; calls on the President of the United States to recognize the atrocities committed against ethnic Bengalis and Hindus by the Armed Forces of Pakitan during 1971 as crimes against humanity war crimes, and genocide,” the legislation read.
Congressman Chabot said legislation looks to recognise that the mass atrocities committed against Bengalis and Hindus, in particular, were indeed a genocide.
“The Bangladesh Genocide of 1971 must not be forgotten. With help from my Hindu constituents in Ohio’s First District, @RepRoKhanna and I introduced legislation to recognize that the mass atrocities committed against Bengalis and Hindus, in particular, were indeed a genocide,” Congressman Chabot tweeted.
“We must not let the years erase the memory of the millions who were massacred. Recognizing the genocide strengthens the historical record, educates our fellow Americans, and lets would-be perpetrators know such crimes will not be tolerated or forgotten,” he said further.
Adding to what Chabot said, Khanna stated that the 1971 Bengali Genocide, in which millions of ethnic Bengalis and Hindus were killed or displaced, is one of the “most forgotten genocides of our time.”
The introduction of US legislation is a result of sustained efforts from Bangladesh in the last few years which is seeking the Pakistan government’s apology to the people of Bangladesh for its role in such a genocide, according to United News Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque last month called the greater push for international recognition of genocide carried out on unarmed Bangalees, Bangladesh News Agency reported.
Haque said international recognition of the genocide of 1971 could not be realized 51 years after independence. But Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government declared March 25 as National Genocide Day.