Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain has thanked the government for releasing a first list of collaborators who worked with the Pakistani occupation army during the Liberation War.
But he was critical of how long it took to do so, reports bdnews24.com.
Speaking to the media after paying tribute to freedom fighters at the National Martyrs' Monument on Monday, Kamal said, "Those who have committed these heinous crimes should certainly be identified and subjected to legal action."
" But the question is why did it take so long? Why [was it released] after 50 years? This government has been in power for the last 10 years. Why did it take 10 years?," he questioned.
Describing independence as the 'greatest achievement' of Bengalis, Kamal said the country's liberation was earned through the 'strength of unity' among the people. And that unity is still needed to make our independence meaningful, according to the eminent lawyer.
"After independence, the Constitution signed by Bangabandhu identified the aims of our people in the kind of society we want to build, the societal changes that were needed, the gap between the wealthy and the poor and the measures needed to free society from disparity and the need to create equal opportunities in order to ensure self-development. Now we must all work together to achieve these," said Kamal, the convener of the Jatiya Oikya Front.
Throughout the nine months of Bangladesh's war of independence, the Pakistan army with the help of their local quislings from the Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League, Razakar, Al-Badr, Al-Shams and Shanti Committee killed nearly 3 million Bengalis and defiled nearly 200,000 women.
The government on Sunday released a list of 10,789 wartime collaborators based on documents and records gathered by the home ministry.