Bangladesh diaspora in Europe stage anti-Pakistan protest over '1971 genocide'

Bangladeshi diaspora living in Europe organised an anti-Pakistan on September 30 on the sidelines of the 48th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva and demanded an apology from Islamabad. As per news agency ANI, the demonstrators drew attention to the mass atrocities by the Pakistani army and systematic killing of around three million people.

Members of the Bangladeshi diaspora called on the UN to internationally recognise the atrocities as ‘genocide’ and start trials against the perpetrators.

Khalilur Rehman, a Bangladeshi human rights activist living in Switzerland said, “Pakistan did not apologise to Bangladesh and still now Pakistan in Balochistan there is a genocide (going on).”

“In Sindh, in Kashmir, there is a genocide (going on by Pakistan). We are demanding Pakistan should apologise to Bangladesh and United Nations have to internationally recognize the Bangladesh 1971 genocide,” Rehman added. 

Murshad, another Bangladeshi human rights activist and president of Belgium-based Global Resident Solidarity for Peace, said that the demonstrators assembled to get global recognition of the 1971 genocide day and noted that they do not think it is ‘too late.’

Murshad, as per ANI, said,

"We have gathered here to get the international recognition of 1971 genocide day. So, we think it is not too late to do it. We demand world people and concerned authorities to give the recognition to genocide day, what was committed by the Pakistani army on 25th March 1971."

Bangladeshi protesters were joined by other activists

As per the report, Bangladesh protesters were joined by other human rights activists and politicians from Europe. A former member of the Dutch parliament, Harry Van Bommel, who joined the demonstration on Thursday, said,

"Obviously Pakistan played a very dirty and very mean role. So, I think that should be internationally recognised by international bodies, such as the United Nations, European Union, the Council of Europe and other organizations related to human rights."

"Not just to make sure future cases of genocide are prevented, but also to honour victims of this genocide where hundreds of thousands of people died," Van Bommel added.

Reportedly, Pakistan carried out a military crackdown from 1948 to 1971 on its Eastern wing, which is now known as Bangladesh, to suppress Bengali calls for self-determination. Ultimately, in December 1971, Bangladesh won independence with help from India after a nine-month war with Pakistan.

IMAGE: ANI/AP

(With inputs from ANI)