Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday called for formation of a 'Judicial Investigation Commission' to thoroughly investigate the murders of the intellectuals on December 14, 1971 and ensure that those responsible are identified and given exemplary punishment.
In a statement sent to the media on Martyred Intellectuals' Day, Dhaka North City Unit Ameer Mohammad Selim Uddin, also central executive council member, demanded judicial probe into Intellectuals' Murder of December 14, 1971.
"The fallen Awami fascists misled the nation with their politics surrounding the murders of the martyred intellectuals over the past half-century," Selim Uddin said.
He said, "The intellectuals are the greatest sons of the nation. Their intellect, thought, and wisdom guide the nation.
However, the brutal and merciless killing of these intellectuals just two days before the great victory is truly mysterious.
Even after five decades of independence, this incident remains mysterious."
The Jamaat leader also said the post-independence government blamed political opponents for the killings of the martyred intellectuals without any effective steps to uncover the truth. "The issue was used politically instead," he added.
In the statement, Selim expressed deep sympathy to the families of the martyrs.
"Those who did not want our nation to stand tall are the dark forces behind this brutal and merciless massacre. Yet, it is extremely regrettable that the perpetrators of this crime remain beyond reach even after five decades of victory," he said in the statement.
Selim also said the mystery surrounding the murder of Zahir Raihan, the renowned intellectual, journalist, and writer, and his brother of martyred intellectual Shahidullah Kaisar, has not been unravelled until now.
"Zahir Raihan, who was an eyewitness to many incidents, was abducted and killed before the mystery could be unravelled. He was targeted because he had the documents, materials, and documentaries related to the Liberation War, which ultimately led to his brutal murder," said the Jamaat Dhaka north ameer in the statement.
He said, "Those who feared the release of these documents - whose secrets would have been exposed - were directly involved in these killings."
"At that time, the ruling party was accustomed to shifting the blame," he added. He called for the formation of a judicial investigation commission to thoroughly investigate the murders of the intellectuals and ensure that those responsible are identified and given exemplary punishment.
Otherwise, he warned, "the brutal killings would remain shrouded in mystery."
