DHAKA: Suranjit Sengupta, co-chairman of the special committee on constitutional amendment, Saturday said those who do not believe in the constitution based on the mass upsurge of the ‘60s and the country’s liberation movement “are not the citizens of Bangladesh”.

“The constitution of 1972 is nothing illusory. Those who do not believe in the 6-point and 11-point demands (the bedrock of 1969 mass upsurge) also do not believe in the country’s independence,” he said, asking certain quarters to take citizenships of ‘the other country they have faith in’.

He said all this at a round table meeting on “Militancy in Bangladesh and politics of Shibir” organized by Bangladesh Educational Writers Forum at the VIP Lounge of the National Press Club.

Referring to Jamaat-e-Islami’s alleged connection with the politics of militancy, he said, “Militancy, communalism and democracy can not stay together. The whole nation is now united against militancy.”

He added: “Those who had killed people, violated women and torched houses during the War of Liberation must stand in the dock. They have no way to escape the trial.”    

Prominent drama artiste Dr. Enamul Haque, who was also present at the meeting, said, “Those who do not believe in the spirit of the liberation war could not be considered first-class citizens of the country--they could be treated as second-class citizens.”
 
BDST: 04:30 HRS, JULY 31, 2010.´╗┐