'Children of War: Nine Months to Freedom': A timely reminder for justice for victims of Bangladesh war crimes

The recent release of the Indian movie titled "Children of War

The War of Liberation in what was then East Pakistan and now Bangladesh is one of many conflicts that define the latter half of the 20th century.

According to a Reuters report, the movie depicts some of the dark times during the nine-month-long struggle for freedom by Bengali-speaking East Pakistanis, and shows how the Pakistani Army instigated massacres against millions of people, especially crimes against women.

The movie also recalls the horror of the planned and calculated killing of intellectuals by radical vigilante groups such as the Al-Badr and Al-Shams, who were recruited by the Pakistani Army, and played an important role in the genocide.

The movie touches a subject that has been brushed aside for long because of the vested interests of previous governments in Bangladesh. The events depicted in it, act as a strong rebuff to apologists who have questioned the very legitimacy of the 1971 War Crimes Tribunal.

It, therefore, does not come as a surprise that this movie has been banned in Pakistan.

The news agency quotes a leading critic as describing the movie as "a true blue epic of mind-numbing intensity", and a not really being a film, but "a work of art, tempestuous and terrific", that is "meant to shake up the international community".

A statement issued by the office of Member of European Parliament, Ryszard Czarnecki, has according to the news agency, strongly recommended to the European Parliament and other European institutions, which are committed to the principles of secularism, democracy and tolerance - to promote this movie.

'Children of War' is not just a movie, it is also a plea for justice, to continue the noble struggle, not between two religions, but between extremists and liberals, of every religio-cultural denominations.