Reports

The twentieth century, often referred to as “the bloodiest century in human history” (Forsythe, 1997; Akmam, 2002, p. 543), is also regarded by scholars as “an age of genocide” (Chalk & Jonassohn, 1990, as cited in Akmam, 2002, p. 543). However, despite their undeniable occurrence, many genocides are yet to be recognised. Since its formal adoption in 1948, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide has officially recognised only three genocides: the Rwandan genocide of 1994, the Bosnian genocide of 1995, and the Cambodian genocide between 1975 and 1979.

The case of the Bangladesh genocide in 1971 reflects the difficulties encountered in the process towards formal recognition. To this day, the period from March to December 1971 remains a dark period for many Bengalis. It was a period of violence, injustice, and little recognition, marked by a lack of awareness and acknowledgment by the international community.

This report will draw a comparative analysis between the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971 and other genocidal atrocities, namely the Cambodian genocide (1975-1979), the Armenian genocide (1915-1923), and the Rwandan genocide (1994). Thereby, the report will shed light on the historical and political reasoning towards genocidal recognition along the formal framework of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948.