It has been 38 years from the day that will live in Glory, Honour and Reverence in our hearts forever. Glory for our victory weighed in blood more precious than gold. Honour to our independence which is our birthright. Reverence to the martyrs and victors -freedom fighters all -the bravest sons and daughters of the nation. As tens of thousands throngs to the National Mausoleum to pay tribute to the fallen I believe its time to lend our voices to the call within our hearts - bring the country's war criminals of 1971 to justice.

With over three million people killed and over 200,000 women abused by Pakistani forces and their local agents in War of Independence, it is easy to mistake this demand as a revenge seeking aptitude of the people. But it cannot be more further from the truth. This is not about revenge, but of justice. If revenge was what the people were after, then not a single one of the over 90,000 pakistani prisoners of war would have been spared. This is of justice for the crimes committed against humanity -the largest genocide ever. The atrocities inflicted by the beasts defy all form of base human quality. If the war-criminals of 1945 can be prosecuted still today, there's no rationale for a country born from such wounds not to prosecute the guilty.

The Bangladesh Sector Commander Forum - a group of war veterans lobbying the government to prosecute those who committed crimes against humanity during the war - claims 14 candidates are among over 11,000 war criminals identified by a fact-finding committee. The 14 are mostly running for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam, a party that uses religious minded people's sentiments and opposed independence and is now a major partner in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led electoral alliance. And, the election is only two weeks ahead.

Needless to say, with all the shits about 'blasphemy' law and others, its easy to make your pick for the party you should vote for. Although I belive in personal freedom of choice and would love to remain impartial in this blog, especially in an election of such magnitude and importance -I can't help but comment: your vote shows which side you were on, what you believe is to be right, what you hold sacred in your heart -it might be all communist, nationalist or whatever -but let it not be cast for mass-murderers, hypocrites who does not deserve to be even buried in this sacred soil -let alone fly its national flag.