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Published on December 9, 2020
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said Bangladesh is among the few countries in the world that have experienced one of the worst forms of genocide.
The premier has issued a separate message on the occasion of the 'International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime' and the '72nd Anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide'.
She said on March 25, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces unleashed brutal mass killings on the innocent civilian population of erstwhile East Pakistan.
"The pain and trauma inflicted on us in 1971 motivate us to seek an end to genocide anywhere and demand justice for the victims of this heinous crime," she added.
"On the occasion of the 'International Day of Commemoration and 'Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime' as well as the '72nd anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide', Bangladesh joins the international community in paying solemn tribute to the victims of genocide throughout the history of the world and reiterates its firm commitment to preventing such heinous crimes," she continued.
Despite the obligation of the global community to prevent the crimes of genocide, many innocent people across the globe continue to face atrocities, oppression and systematic persecution caused by xenophobia, intolerance and hatred, she said.
The persecution of the Rohingyas in Myanmar is yet another painful example of such crimes, she added.
"The desperate Rohingyas want to return to their homeland. We urge the international community to help these people to exercise their right to return to Myanmar at the earliest and ensure that they can live in Myanmar in safety and security," the premier said.
She called upon the international community to undertake concerted action to address the root causes of genocide, identifying early signs and ensuring justice to the victims to prevent the recurrence of any future genocide anywhere in the world.
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