Prominent persons of the country Wednesday demanded that the massacre perpetrated by the Pakistani forces in Bangladesh in 1971 be declared genocide.

They were speaking at a programme at the East West University (EWU).

Mofidul Haque, trustee of the Liberation War Museum, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, director of the Center for Genocide Studies of Dhaka University, Prof MM Shahidul Hassan, vice-chancellor of EWU, and Prof Mohammed Farashuddin, former PS to Bangabandhu and chief advisor of EWU, were present at the programme.

They said the killings and massacres that took place in Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War were cruel and terrible. "More than 30 lakh people were killed, 5-6 lakh women were mercilessly raped and more than 1 crore people became refugees."

"Similar incidents occurred in Bosnia and Rwanda, which were recognised as genocide by the UN. Even though the number of genocidal activities in Bangladesh was higher than those during 1971, the UN is yet to recognise it as genocide," they added.

The speakers demanded recognition of genocide from the UN as soon as possible.