Bangladesh Jamaat leader backs crimes against humanity trial for ex-PM

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s top Islamist politician says he supports the extradition of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina to face trial for crimes against humanity in the same tribunal that convicted his colleagues.

Shafiqur Rahman is the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, whose members were hounded, driven underground and sentenced to death during Hasina’s autocratic 15-year rule.

Her government justified the crackdown on the nation’s largest Islamist party by accusing it of sponsoring extremist attacks — charges Rahman denies.

After Hasina’s toppling and exile in neighbouring India following a student-led revolution in August, the ban on Jamaat’s activities was lifted.

Rahman is leading its public revival.

Now back in the political mainstream, he says Hasina must be extradited to face trial with her allies for abuses committed during her tenure.

“We don’t believe in the theory that just because we faced injustice, someone else should also face injustice,” the 65-year-old told AFP at his party office in the capital Dhaka.

“But people want them to be tried. If they don´t face trial, these criminals will commit more crimes.” Rahman said it was important Hasina and her loyalists faced a fair trial, the kind denied to his executed comrades. He said he was confident that the tribunal, if reformed, could meet the task. “Whenever there is any crime against humanity in this country, then there is no problem with it being explored in the tribunal,” he said.

“If there is any disparity of law, if there is any contradiction with the constitution or human rights, that can be amended.”

At the same time, Rahman said Jamaat would challenge the tribunal’s former wrongdoings by posthumously appealing the death penalty verdicts handed to his former colleagues.