Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has welcomed the move to bring several army officers accused of involvement in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings under trial.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Jamaat chief expressed appreciation for the army`s cooperation in the judicial process, noting that the accused officers have already been taken into custody.
“We welcome this initiative by the army,” he wrote, adding that the people of Bangladesh want to take pride in their patriotic armed forces.
However, he also pointed to past abuses, saying, “It is unfortunate but true that some officers, influenced by the fascist government, blindly cooperated in carrying out its agenda of eliminating political opponents. This created an environment of fear marked by abductions and killings—an extremely tragic chapter for the nation.”
Shafiqur Rahman emphasized that the entire institution should not be held accountable for the actions of a few individuals. “The responsibility must rest solely with those directly involved. No one should be wrongfully punished. Only the real offenders should face justice.”
He concluded by saying that holding the guilty accountable would help heal past wounds and serve as a deterrent to future abuses of power, ultimately benefiting the country.