More than 100,000 ‘non-freedom fighters’ listed during Awami League’s rule, says minister

He vows to prioritise genuine war veterans long deprived of their entitlements and honour

More than 100,000 individuals who were never part of the 1971 struggle for freedom have been included in government lists and given allowances during the Awami League’s rule, Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan told Parliament.

He said this while responding to a supplementary question from a Tangail MP in the parliament on Tuesday.

Azam said, "There is no such thing as fake freedom fighters; they are non-freedom fighters. They’ve been included in the list of freedom fighters and given government allowances and other benefits."

Claiming the number of “non-freedom fighters” to be more than 100,000 across the country, the minister said they would be omitted from the list.

"We at the Ministry of Liberation Affairs War have opted to gradually remove those who are not freedom fighters from the list of war heroes, and we’re continuing to work accordingly."

The government, he said, wants to evaluate the “real war heroes” by stripping the “non-freedom fighters” of all the benefits.

In the process, the government will prioritise the Liberation War veterans who have long been deprived of their rights and honour.

The freedom fighters who were harassed will also come under the campaign throughout the country.

Addressing a statement by a treasury bench MP from Gaibandha on “non-freedom fighters”, the minister said: "In a few days, we’ll be able to reveal a specific number on this issue and present it to the nation in a specific way.”

Noakhali-2 MP Zainul Abdin Farroque, while posing a supplementary question, said, during the “fascist era”, many freedom fighters were deprived of their allowances while many others saw their certificates suspended.

He demanded that the construction of Upazila-level buildings for freedom fighters be investigated.

Responding to him, the minister said they are working on the matter.

After a Satkhira MP complained of being dropped from the list of freedom fighters, Azam assured him of proper measures after examining his documents.

He said: "In the past, whoever was in the opposition party used to be harassed over the Liberation War certificate."

Azam said his ministry has also started working on the issue.