Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Barrister Shafique Ahmed Saturday said an interested quarter is engaged to obstruct the ongoing trial process of the war criminals by appointing lobbyists in different countries including the USA and the UK, reports BSS.

"We have gathered information and evidence of appointment of lobbyists by Jamaat-e-Islami in different countries," the Minister said adding Mir Kashem Ali, a suspected war criminal, appointed a lobbyist firm in the USA named 'Casadian Associates' by paying US dollar 25 million to frustrate the trial process of the war criminals.

The Minister made this allegation while addressing an inaugural function of the newly-formed 'Women's Committee' of the Sector Commanders' Forum at Shilpakala Academy.

With chairman of the Sector Commanders' Forum and Planning Minister Air Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandaker, Bir Uttam, in the chair, the function was addressed, among others, by Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, State Minister for Liberation War Captain (retd) AB Tajul Islam, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Shirin Sarmin Chowdhury, presidium member of the forum Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury and newly-formed women's committee president Zakia K Hasan and secretary Bulbul Mahalanabish. Acting general secretary of the forum Journalist Harun Habib also addressed the function.

Expressing firm determination of the government, the Law Minister said: "We must complete the trial process of the perpetrators of crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation ignoring all obstructions and International pressure".

"We are committed to the countrymen to hold the trial of the war criminals as it was an election pledge of the incumbent government," Barrister Shafique said adding it is also vital for establishing rule of law and continuing the democratic process in the country.

AK Khandaker drew attention of the Law Minister to withdraw the provision of filing appeal against the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), saying no example of getting appeal rights would be found where such nature of trial of the war criminals was staged across the world.

Mr Azad urged all concerned to involve the new generation in the movement for speeding up the trial process.

AB Tajul Islam demanded expediting the trial process saying: "We should realise the pain of the relatives of the victims, who were brutally killed, tortured and raped by the anti-liberation forces in 1971.