The government will appoint an investigation agency, prosecutors and set up war crimes tribunals within two weeks to try those accused of murder and rape during the 1971 liberation struggle.

Addressing a meeting of the Home Ministry yesterday, Law Minister Shafiq Ahmed said that the government was in the final stage of completing the details of trying the war criminals.

"We have begun the process for appointing the investigating agency, prosecutors, investigation officers and establishing tribunals in two weeks," he added.

Home minister Sahara Khatun, state minister for home Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, state minister for law Kamrul Islam, state minister for liberation war affairs AB Tajul Islam, attorney general Mahbubey Alam, home secretary Abdus Sobhan Shikder, the police chief, RAB director general and chiefs of intelligence agencies were present in the meeting.

The United Nations said Wednesday that its war crimes experts would advise Bangladesh on how to hold the trials.

Following a meeting earlier in the week with home minister Sahara Khatun and law minister Shafiq Ahmed UNDP country representative Renata Lok Dessallien said her agency had offered the government all assistance to ensure that the trials met international standards.

The alleged war criminals, who sided with what was then West Pakistan, committed murder, rape and arson as they fought against then East Pakistan's struggle for independence.

The government claimed that three million people were killed during the war.

A private group, which investigated the conflict, has blamed 1,775 people, including Pakistani generals and local Islamists allied with Pakistan, for the atrocities.

Sohel Taj said the home ministry will appoint the attorney while the law ministry will deal with appointment of the prosecutors and formation of the tribunals.

Law minister Shafiq Ahmed said the process has began from this very day and the trial will be held in compliance with the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973.