Movement demanding trial of war criminals (Bangladesh)

In 1972, the spouses of martyred intellectuals started the peaceful protest. Zahir Rayhan's wife took first step for this.[4]

As the ruler of Bangladesh, President Ziaur Rahman (1975–1981) enacted several controversial measures, ostensibly to win the support of Islamic political parties and opponents of the Awami League. In 1978, he revoked the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was widely believed to have collaborated with the Pakistani army and members of which are alleged to have committed war crimes against civilians.

Ghulam Azam, the exiled chief of the Jammat-e-Islami, was allowed to come back to Bangladesh in July 1978. In 1991 December Ghulam Azam, was elected the Amir of Jamaat-e-Islam. Subsequently, Jahanara Imam organized the Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee (Committee to exterminate the Killers and Collaborators), and became its public face. The committee called for the trial of people who committed crimes against humanity in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistani forces. The Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee set up mock trials in Dhaka in March 1992 known as Gonoadalot (Court of the people) and 'sentenced' persons they accused of being war criminals. Imam and others were charged with treason. This charge was, however, dropped in 1996 after her death by the Chief Advisor Mohammed Habibur Rahman of the Caretaker government of that time.

The activities of the "Ekattorer Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee" led by Jahanara Imam were deemed unlawful by the Government of Bangladesh.[5]

Sector Commanders Forum calls for protest.

Human chain by the students of Govt. Bangla College

On 2007, at the regime of military backed Caretaker government, students of Govt. Bangla College took step for mass protest like Human Chain, Symbolic Hunger Strike, Rally, Discussion, Silence Protest, Flower placement demanding trial of war criminals of 1971 and to build monument for martyrs in Bangla College Killing Field.[6][7][8][9][10] Organizations based on Liberation war, cultural organization, VIPs, political parties expressed deep support to this movement led and co-ordinated by general students.[11][12][13][14][15] Students played strong role in street from 2007 to 2010 and also continues activity in internet still now[16][17][18][19][20]

Post Liberation Students Union for Better Bangladesh (PSUBD) held protests and demonstrations urging trial of war criminals. Students from most of the universities in Dhaka joined the protest, demonstrations and human chains organised by PSUBD.[21]

PSUBD continued to demand the trial of war criminals by holding protests, demonstrations, human chains and other activities to gain public support on the issue. Before the general election'08 PSUBD organised demonstration at TSC urging not to vote war criminals.[21]

The 2013 Shahbag protests, associated with a central neighborhood of Dhaka, Bangladesh, began on February 5, 2013 and later spread to other parts of Bangladesh, as people demanded capital punishment for Abdul Quader Mollah, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and for others convicted of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal.[22][23] On that day, the International Crimes Tribunal had sentenced Abdul Quader Mollah to life in prison after he was convicted on five of six counts of war crimes.[24][25] Later demands included banning the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party from politics and a boycott of institutions supporting (or affiliated with) the party.[23][26][27]

• Bangladesh Liberation War

• banglacollege.com containing information and photos of protest by Bangla College students
• shahbag.org containing information and photos of protest in Shahbag