Dhaka, June 4 (IANS) The interim government of Bangladesh led by Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday denied local media reports which claimed that it has de-recognised the contribution of hundreds of freedom fighters, including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam, former Prime Ministers Tajuddin Ahmed and several leaders of the Mujibnagar government following the enactment of National Freedom Fighters Council (JAMUKA) Ordinance.
The country’s leading media outlets reported that the interim government has enacted a new ordinance that alters the definition of “freedom fighter” (Bir Muktijoddha). The reports stated that the decision has resulted in the revocation of the status for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and more than 400 other notable individuals from the 1971 Liberation War.
Chief Advisor Yunus then took to social media, stating that the news on revoking the freedom fighters’ status of the former leaders of Mujibnagar government is “fake”.
“The news published in several media outlets, including Samakal, Jugantor, Ittefaq and Kalerkanth that the freedom fighter recognition of more than a hundred leaders, including President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam, Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed and two ministers Md. Mansur Ali and AHM Kamruzzaman, of the Mujibnagar government, have been revoked is completely baseless, false and misleading,” read a statement issued by Yunus’s office.
The Advisor to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, Faruk-e-Azam, said that those who were in the Mujibnagar government were also freedom fighters. Additionally, those who fought the Liberation War with arms were also freedom fighters. However, the officials and employees of that government were “associate freedom fighters”.
“Azam said that according to the National Freedom Fighters Council (JAMUKA) Ordinance, diplomats, including the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra are associate freedom fighters. Associate does not mean that their honour has been tarnished. He said that the definition of freedom fighter that existed in 1972 has been implemented. It was changed in 2018 and 2022. The honour, status, and privileges of both freedom fighters and collaborators of the Liberation War will remain the same,” the statement added.
Azam stated that all members of the Mujibnagar government have been recognised as freedom fighters.
“It is a historical fact that the Mujibnagar Government led the Liberation War. The Mujibnagar Government itself, along with all forces officially recognised by it, will be acknowledged as freedom fighters. Those who were auxiliary freedom fighters have not been disrespected. The salaried employees under the Mujibnagar Government have been termed Muktijuddher Shohojogi (associate of the Liberation War). There has been no discrimination in state allowances or other benefits — everyone is treated equally,” he added.
Reports suggested that the ordinance, amending the National Freedom Fighters Council Act and redefining the term freedom fighters, issued on Tuesday night mentioned that all Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) who were affiliated with the wartime provisional government of Bangladesh (Mujibnagar Government) and later regarded as members of the post-war constituent assembly will from now on be considered as “associates of the Liberation War” rather than “freedom fighters.”
Additionally, the associates under the new category also included professionals who stayed abroad and contributed to the Liberation War and the Bangladeshi citizens who were instrumental in shaping global opinions; people who worked as officials and employees of the Government of Bangladesh (Mujibnagar government) formed during the Liberation War, physicians, nurses and other assistants employed by the Mujibnagar government.
Also, all the artistes and crew members of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and all the Bangladeshi journalists in and outside of the country who were actively involved in supporting the Liberation War and Swadhin Bangla Football Team also fell under the definition.
The report further stated that the ordinance will affect the status of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, former Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, former acting President Syed Nazrul Islam Tajuddin Ahmad, and more than 400 others who were members of the constituent assembly and until now were recognised as freedom fighters
According to the new ordinance, the Liberation War is defined as “The war waged from March 26 to December 16, 1971, to establish equality, human dignity and social justice for the people of Bangladesh as an independent democratic state against the invading and occupying Pakistani armed forces and their collaborators — the Razakars, Al-Badr, Al-Shams, Muslim League, Jamaat-e-Islami, Nezame-Islam, and the Peace Committee.”
“Bir Muktijoddha (Freedom fighter) is someone who, between March 26 and December 16, 1971, either prepared for war and received training within villages across the country or crossed the border into India to enrol in various training camps with the aim of participating in the Liberation War. These individuals actively took part in the war against the occupying and invading Pakistani armed forces and their local collaborators towards achieving Bangladesh’s independence,” the ordinance stated while defining the freedom fighters.
The newly-issued ordinance also dropped the text ‘Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’ and deleted portions of the law that were mentioned in his name.
Yunus had earlier banned the Awami League, the party that liberated Bangladesh from Pakistan’s tyrannical rule for democracy, secularism, human rights, and social justice. At the same time, he also welcomed and removed the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, which is demanding ‘Sharia Law’ in Bangladesh.
–IANS
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