Administrative/biographical history

In 1992 family members of victims of the Bangladesh Liberation War (Bangladesh War of Independence) living in Bangladesh began an unprecedented movement under a campaign called ‘Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee’ (Committee for Resisting Killers and Collaborators of Bangladesh Liberation War). The Committee has since been renamed the Forum for Secular Bangladesh & Trial of War Criminals of 1971, and is commonly known as the Nirmul Committee. The UK branch of the Nirmul Committee (also known as Bangladesh Anti War Criminal Committee but now known as International Forum for Secular Bangladesh) was also formed in 1992 in solidarity with the campaign in Bangladesh. It’s operations were based in the East End of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Both the Bangledesh and UK Committees were formed to seek justice for the victims of Bangladesh Liberation War and to challenge fundamentalist/extremist groups who were seen to have colluded with the occupying Pakistani military (including the Razakars and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami). In addition, the UK branch of the Nirmul Committee would seek to expose suspected collaborators who were residing in the UK after fleeing Bangladesh and to challenge the rise of religious fundamentalism & extremism in the UK. The UK branch also has a remit to advance the education of the public generally, and of young people of Bengali origin in particular. This includes, but is not limited to, Bengali secular culture, history and traditions.

Scope and content

Papers of the Nirmul Committee, including: Newspaper cuttings and publications regarding campaigns and the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1969-2009; Committee papers, 1997-2005; Posters, leaflets and banners regarding campaigns and the Bangladesh Liberation War, 2001-2010; and Photographs of meetings, events and demonstrations, 1992-2009; Press cuttings and other secondary information about fundamentalism, terrorist attacks, human rights violations and war crimes, 1988-2014. (c.1969-2014).

Quantity

22 boxes.