DHAKA: The government decided to form a steering committee to accelerate the war crimes investigation in a coordinated way, as a mismatch was found in the current probe process.

A chief investigation officer will also be appointed soon, said Finance Minister Abul Abul Mal Abdul Muhith after a high-level meeting Wednesday.

The post of chief investigation officer has been lying vacant since May 5 after Abdul Matin resigned, in the wake of controversies over his past political association.

Muhith said the decision to form a steering committee in coordinating the investigation was taken as there has been a lack of coordination between the war crimes investigation team and the prosecution panel.

“There has been in-coordination between the war crimes investigation team and the prosecution team. A decision has been taken to form a steering committee to solve the problem and a chief investigation officer will be appointed soon,” the Finance Minister told reporters.

A government-formed committee to coordinate the war crimes trial took the decision in a meeting at the Secretariat.
 
The minister expressed his hope for completing within a short time the trial of crime against humanity committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

Muhith said money is no problem that could hamper the trial. “A sum of Tk 12 crore has been sanctioned for this purpose and more would be allocated, if necessary,” he added.

Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Home Minister Sahara Khatun, Planning Minister AK Khandaker, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam and State Minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak were among others present at the meeting.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said, “The government is trying to make the trial procedure transparent and maintain international standards. Foreign Ministry is working to collect information about war criminals.

BDST: 1450 HRS, SEPT 8, 2010