Justice Debesh Chandra’s activities lauded on his birth centenary

The jurist, human rights activist Justice Debesh Chandra Bhattacharya will be remembered for his honesty and innocence, said Professor Anisuzzaman in observing centenary of Justice Debesh Chandra's birth held in Abdul Karim Auditorium of Bangla Academy on Saturday.
Prof Anisuzzaman chaired the program while journalist Shahriar Kabir, International Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta, economist Debapriya Bhattacharya and former finance minister M Shahiduzzaman spoke on the occasion.  The centenary of birth of Justice Debesh Chandra will be observed all over the country round the year, the members of the Centenary Observance Committee noted.  The discussion began with a colorful cultural program. Justice Basudev Dhar made the welcome address as the Member Secretary of centenary observance committee. International Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta read out the biography of Justice Debesh Chandra. He said, Justice Bhattacharya is generally remembered for his contribution in defending rule of law and human rights. He was the founder-president of Bangladesh Enemy Property Act Repeal Committee. He was also a presidium member of the Bangladesh Peace Council and an executive member of Bangladesh Nagarik Committee. He was the founding patron of Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee.

Writer and journalist Shahriar Kabir said justice Debesh Chandra was the pioneer of war crime tribunal. He was a great teacher indeed. He was a member of the Gono Adalat (People's Court) set up to put the war criminals of 1971 on trial. He said, "No mercy for war crime culprits any more while comparing with the present situation. Terrorism and fundamentalism cost a lot now-a-days. Present government is not doing much to stop it. Why is Jamaat not yet banned? We have to move from compromise theory.  We have to go back to '72 Constitution at any cost. It's time to act, not to re-act. Pakistani war criminals must be punished by the War Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh.
Justice Debesh Chandra was the chairman of the Citizen's Commission set up to investigate the Jagannath Hall tragedy of 15 October 1985. Justice Bhattacharya particularly fought for establishment of equal rights for women and strongly advocated for amendment to Hindu laws for strengthening rights of Hindu women.
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