Int’l Day to Commemorate of Victims of Genocide, its Prevention

The ‘International Day of Commemoration of Victims of Genocide and of its Prevention’ is being observed today (December 9) in the country like elsewhere of the world.

Different originations have chalked out various programmes marking the day.

The Liberation War Museum has drawn up an elaborate programme to observe the day in a befitting manner.

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared the day as the ‘International Day of Commemoration of Victims of Genocide and of its Prevention’ day on September 11, 2015. After declaration of the day, the Liberation War Museum observes the day every year. The day is being observed across the world to create awareness among the people on genocide.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with a call to promote a culture of peace all over the world, has reiterated her government's commitment to preventing genocide and sought cooperation from the international community to prevent such crimes.

“Bangladesh joined the international community in paying solemn tribute to the victims of genocide throughout the history of the world,” said the Prime Minister, in a message, on the occasion of the day.

The Premier reiterated her firm commitment to end all forms of genocide and the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators.

Referring to the genocide of March 25 in 1971, she said the oppressive Pakistani forces unleashed brutal mass killings on the innocent civilians of erstwhile East Pakistan (Bangladesh) to annihilate the ethnopolitical identity of the Bengali nation.

She also paid rich tribute to the memory of three million martyrs, who were the victims of genocide inflicted upon the people of Bangladesh by the then-Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators during the War of Liberation in 1971.

Noting that many innocent people globally continue to face atrocities, oppression, and persecution incited by xenophobia, racism, intolerance and hatred, she said the decade-long marginalization, atrocities and persecution faced by the Rohingyas in Myanmar are painful examples of such crimes.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh provided temporary shelter to more than 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas, who were forced to flee en masse to evade genocidal atrocities from their ancestral homes in Myanmar.

The Prime Minister also urged the international community to enhance pressure on the government of Myanmar to create conducive conditions for the repatriation of the Rohingya people to their homeland with safety and dignity.