Non-freedom fighters to be removed from list: Minister

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan has said non-freedom fighters will be removed from the official list following a thorough verification process to identify genuine freedom fighters.

“We will verify the list impartially, rising above party and political considerations,” the minister said, adding that the process aims to retain genuine freedom fighters and remove those who do not qualify.

He made the remarks at a press conference at the ministry’s conference room after a discussion meeting on preparing authentic lists of martyrs, freedom fighters and Biranganas of the Liberation War on Wednesday (October 7).

The minister said the meeting was not held to make any decision on the freedom fighters’ list. He said further consultations would be held with people from different sections of society before trying to reach a national consensus.

Regarding fresh applications for freedom fighter status, Ahmed Azam Khan said no new applications would be accepted after October 7. However, applications already submitted will undergo thorough scrutiny, and anyone found to have been left out despite being a genuine freedom fighter will be included in the list.

He added verification was also underway regarding non-freedom fighters already included in the existing list.

Responding to claims in various quarters that 85,000 fake freedom fighters were included in the list, the minister said he preferred to describe them as “non-freedom fighters”.

“Why should a non-freedom fighter remain on the list?” he said, adding that removing such discrepancies was part of the government’s responsibility to preserve an accurate history of the country’s Liberation War.

He stated the ministry wanted the history of independence to be properly documented so that future generations could learn it accurately.