Bangladesh celebrated its 41^st Independence Day on Monday. But the young country continues to fight with its past.

Every now and then, Bangladesh makes headline news because of a large flood, ferry accident, tornadoes or some other disaster. The extremely flat country, which is as large as the German states Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg combined, has a population of around 160 million people or twice as big as Germany's.

Over the past years, the overpopulated poorhouse has transformed itself into the sewing room of the West and is poised to become an emerging market. Prior to its independence on March 26, 1971, the country was part of Pakistan. But "we were never a nation," said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Overwhelming majority

"Bangladesh is Bangladesh;" Hasina added. "Our people are very broadminded and secular-minded. They are tolerant and, culturally and religiously, they are completely different from Pakistan."

Hasina's Awami League won an overwhelming majority in December 2008. It came to office with a promise to deal with crimes of the past.

Activists, like Shahriar Kabir, had long demonstrated for such action. "In the nine-month-long liberation war, the Pakistani army and collaborators killed three million innocent people and raped nearly a quarter million women, and nearly 10 million people were forced to leave Bangladesh and took shelter in neighboring India;" Kabir said. "These were the worst types of crime against humanity and genocide that we have seen since the second world war."

All of this occurred between March and December 1971. But after Bangladesh finally defeated the Pakistan army and won its independence, the war criminals remained untouched.

"Now the time has come to ensure justice to the victims and the rule of law," Kabir said. "There are many challenges to trying such crimes after 40 years. It is a big challenge because time is a big factor. Most of the victims and eyewitnesses have already died and the war criminals, too. And there are problems with obtaining evidence from other countries."

Ensuring justice

Pakistan and its powerful military are inaccessible for Bangladesh. The aged criminals who now appear in court are the very same people who oppose the Bangladesh government. Their leader, Khalida Zia, speaks of the government's revenge. It is not about ensuring justice, she argues, but about destroying political opponents.

At a demonstration in mid-March, Zia called for new elections and a new government. She urged activists to go on strike and organize more demonstrations if her demands were not met.

The government's response was quick. Prime Minister Hasina told Zia that a protective hand could no longer be held over the war criminals, suggesting that the leader leave Bangladesh if "she loved Pakistan so much."

The government must prove, however, that it indeed aims to clarify the past and is not seeking revenge. Hasina, after all, lost her family in the liberation war.

Author: Sandra Petersmann / jrb
Editor: Shamil Shams