"Or else this will send a wrong message," he told journalists in Kolkata.
He also appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to withdraw her opposition to the Teesta Water sharing deal.
"The interests of West Bengal will not be hampered by the deal," he said, as he requested Mamata Banerjee to "view the larger picture".
"By opposing this deal, she will only encourage anti-Indian elements of fundamentalist disposition to rear their head. If those elements gain strength, they are not only inimical for Bangladesh, but also for India and particularly for West Bengal," the veteran Awami League leader said.
Sengupta was also critical of the 'patronage' that some fundamentalist groups were getting in West Bengal.
"During our Liberation War, we got total support from West Bengal government and its people. But now we are dismayed by the demonstrations organised in Kolkata against Bangladesh's war crimes trials," he said.
Sengupta said the war crimes trials would have taken place after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman enacted the International Crimes Tribunal Act in 1973.
"But he was killed and successive military and quasi-military regimes swept it under the carpet. Now our government is conducting the war crimes trials in a fair and transparent manner and those accused have full rights of appeal. So why should some organisations in Kolkata suddenly oppose it," said Sengupta.
He said the ongoing trials and the movement to press for it were part of Bangladesh's journey to emerge as an authentic secular democracy.
"Secularism and democracy are the future and no nation can go back on these fundamental principles of modern politics," Sengupta said.
Sengupta said the Hasina government has acted decisively against separatist rebels from India's northeast who were operating from Bangladesh and done much else for India.
"Now it is payback time," Sengupta said.
On the ongoing protest movements, Sengupta said there was no way the Awami league government could go back on war crimes trials.
"This was our electoral pledge, we had it in our election manifesto, so there is no way we can go back on what the nation wants and have waited for," Sengupta said.
But on the caretaker issue, he said, dialogue could be initiated for a 'compromise' to ensure maximum participation in the parliament polls.
"Political opponents will have to be fought politically but those who resort to violence and don’t listen to logic will have to be dealt with firmly," Sengupta said.
"If the battle to establish secular democracy is lost in Bangladesh, it will have severe repercussions across South Asia," the veteran leader said.
Sengupta is on his way back to Dhaka from Karachi via Kolkata where he attended a seminar on minorities.
He also appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to withdraw her opposition to the Teesta Water sharing deal.
"The interests of West Bengal will not be hampered by the deal," he said, as he requested Mamata Banerjee to "view the larger picture".
"By opposing this deal, she will only encourage anti-Indian elements of fundamentalist disposition to rear their head. If those elements gain strength, they are not only inimical for Bangladesh, but also for India and particularly for West Bengal," the veteran Awami League leader said.
Sengupta was also critical of the 'patronage' that some fundamentalist groups were getting in West Bengal.
"During our Liberation War, we got total support from West Bengal government and its people. But now we are dismayed by the demonstrations organised in Kolkata against Bangladesh's war crimes trials," he said.
Sengupta said the war crimes trials would have taken place after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman enacted the International Crimes Tribunal Act in 1973.
"But he was killed and successive military and quasi-military regimes swept it under the carpet. Now our government is conducting the war crimes trials in a fair and transparent manner and those accused have full rights of appeal. So why should some organisations in Kolkata suddenly oppose it," said Sengupta.
He said the ongoing trials and the movement to press for it were part of Bangladesh's journey to emerge as an authentic secular democracy.
"Secularism and democracy are the future and no nation can go back on these fundamental principles of modern politics," Sengupta said.
Sengupta said the Hasina government has acted decisively against separatist rebels from India's northeast who were operating from Bangladesh and done much else for India.
"Now it is payback time," Sengupta said.
On the ongoing protest movements, Sengupta said there was no way the Awami league government could go back on war crimes trials.
"This was our electoral pledge, we had it in our election manifesto, so there is no way we can go back on what the nation wants and have waited for," Sengupta said.
But on the caretaker issue, he said, dialogue could be initiated for a 'compromise' to ensure maximum participation in the parliament polls.
"Political opponents will have to be fought politically but those who resort to violence and don’t listen to logic will have to be dealt with firmly," Sengupta said.
"If the battle to establish secular democracy is lost in Bangladesh, it will have severe repercussions across South Asia," the veteran leader said.
Sengupta is on his way back to Dhaka from Karachi via Kolkata where he attended a seminar on minorities.
Suranjit Sengupta was also the guest of honour at the colorful Pahela Boishakh function organised at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission on Monday.
The function showcased the quintessential folk traditions of Bengal and also its rich culture.
Deputy High Commissioner Abida Islam led the impressive chorus and then spoke of the significance of Pahela Boishakh.
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