Dhaka, Oct 12 (V7N) – The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has said that ensuring a fair and impartial trial of crimes is essential to protect the country’s democracy, human rights, and the professionalism of the army. However, the party emphasized that it is inappropriate to hold any institution or force collectively responsible for the crimes of a few identified individuals.

In a statement sent to the media on Saturday (October 11), the BNP said that the misdeeds of some individuals should not lead to the questioning of an entire institution. “The responsibility or punishment for serious crimes lies solely with the individual,” the statement read.

The BNP noted that it had been the biggest victim of enforced disappearances, killings, and oppression during the period of fascism, and reaffirmed its support for the trial of all human rights violations, regardless of the perpetrator’s institutional affiliation. “Here, institutional identity is not considered — only the individual’s crime and the rule of law matter,” the party said.

The statement further noted that every member of the army is a proud son of the country, and the majority of them are patriotic and law-abiding. The BNP expressed full support for ensuring that no government can ever again misuse the army for unlawful orders, such as enforced disappearances or extrajudicial killings. “BNP agrees 100 percent with this universal aspiration,” the statement concluded.

END/SMA/AJ