WHAT had remained unknown even to many Bangladeshis until recently was that the Bangladesh government has established a ‘Centre for Genocide Studies’ in Brussels.

Why Brussels, why not The Hague, where such notorious criminals as Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic have faced trial for genocide, is best known to the country’s decision-makers.

The Centre is run by a full-time director, Ahmad Ziauddin, who is said to be an expert in international law. When the Centre was established and what has been its performance to date is also shrouded in mystery.

In fact, it would have remained so had The Economist not blown the cover and revealed some of the extra-curricular activities of the Centre’s director.

However, Ziauddin told The Economist that the Centre is “dedicated to ending the ingrained culture of impunity surrounding the war crimes in Bangladesh.”

However, while his activities in fulfilling his mission remain under wraps, the magazine has revealed that he had been playing an active role in the prosecution and conduct of the cases against some top Jamat-i-Islami and BNP leaders in the so-called international war crimes tribunals in Bangladesh.

He has been advising the tribunal chairman as well as the prosecution.

He even drafted the charge-sheet against the most important accused, the 90-year-old Prof Ghulam Azam.

S.G. JILANEE Karachi