United News of Bangladesh

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan on Wednesday told Parliament that the official recognition of 481 non-freedom fighters were rebuked since August, 2024 following recommendations from the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka). “Based on complaints, the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council conducted verification and investigations and based on its recommendations, the ministry cancelled the gazette notifications, Lal Muktibarta and Indian lists of 481 individuals,” he said. The minister made the remarks responding to questions from NCP lawmaker Akhter Hossen and ruling party lawmaker Md Jahander Ali Miha (Madaripur-2) during the question-and-answer session in the House. In his question, Akhter asked whether any steps would be taken against alleged fake freedom fighters, noting that various media reports and government reviews suggest that out of around 250,000 gazetted freedom fighters more than 100,000 people are fake freedom fighters. The Liberation War Affairs Minister said that since August 2024, a total of 842 complaints related to non-freedom fighters have been forwarded to Jamuka for scrutiny. He said when allegations are received, a subcommittee formed with members of the council conduct investigations and hearings. If an individual is proven not to be a genuine freedom fighter, recommendations are made to cancel their gazette status, he said. Ahmed Azam said the process of reviewing such complaints is ongoing and a regular function of Jamuka. “If any allegation is raised against a listed freedom fighter, it will be verified through investigation and hearing, and if proven false, the name will be recommended for removal from the list,” he added. ‘Fifth Primary Education Development Programme’ to begin July 1: PM He also informed the House that since its establishment, Jamuka has held 103 meetings and recommended cancellation of gazette status for a total of 6,465 persons. In reply to a starred question from treasury bench lawmaker AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon (Noakhali-1), the minister said there are currently 198,037 recognised freedom fighters in the country, according to the integrated database maintained in the ministry’s Management Information System (MIS). He further said that each freedom fighter receives a monthly honorarium of Tk 20,000, two festival allowances of Tk 10,000 each annually and a Pahela Baishakh allowance of Tk 2,000 and also a Victory Day allowance of Tk 5,000 for living freedom fighters. The minister, however, said that there is currently no plan under government consideration to increase the honorarium for freedom fighters.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan on Tuesday told Parliament that the government is working to identify and correct anomalies committed in the list of freedom fighters and their allowance disbursement during the regime of the ‘fascist’ government. “We’re working on it. I would like to assure the MP that we’ll present it (these anomalies and authentic list) before the nation completing our work soon,” he said, while replying to a supplementary question from treasury bench lawmaker Zainul Abdin Farroque (Noakhali-2) in the House. Earlier, Tuesday's sitting began at 3:30pm with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad in the chair. Ahmed Azam Khan sworn in as Minister BNP MP Zainul Abdin Farroque in his question said an investigation could reveal whether there is the existence of even a single structure of upazila-level Muktijoddha Bhaban constructed in the last 17 years and many BNP-minded freedom fighters were deprived of allowances at that time. The lawmaker wanted to know if any step would be taken in this regard. In reply, the Liberation War Affairs Minister said his ministry received many allegations in this regard and the Liberation War Affairs Ministry is working on this issue. He said many freedom fighters were deprived of allowances during the fascist government. “Their freedom fighter certificates were suspended and many genuine freedom fighters were harassed in many ways. And many fake freedom fighters were incorporated in the list and given allowances and other illegal facilities,” he said.