Bangladesh seeks apology from Pakistan for 1971 war crimes

Bangladesh has sought an apology from Pakistan for war crimes allegedly committed by the army during Bangladesh's liberation struggle in 1971, according to a ministry official

Bangladesh foreign minister Dipu Moni made the request during a meeting with Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar in Dhaka, said Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes.

"The foreign minister has raised the 1971 issue and expected that Pakistan would apologise at one stage. There are some unresolved issues between the two governments and she expects that Pakistan would come forward to resolve them," the Daily Times quoted Quayes, as saying.

"The Pakistani foreign minister said that they have regretted in different forms in the past and that it was time to move forward," Quayes said.

Khar was on a six-hour visit to Bangladesh to formally invite Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to a summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad on November 22.

During her visit, Khar called on Hasina and extended an invitation to her to participate in the D-8 Summit being held in Islamabad on November 22, a spokesman of foreign office said.