Dhaka: In a surprising move, the Yunus govt has stripped ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s status as a ‘freedom fighter’. The interim govt’s ordinance redefined the term ‘freedom fighter’ (Bir Muktijoddha), introducing three new categories.
These categories include: the Muktijuddher Shohojogi (associate of the Liberation War); Muktijoddha Poribar (family of a freedom fighter); and Muktijuddher Shohojogi Poribar (family of a Liberation War associate), reports The Daily Star.
As per the ordinance, the status of over 400 elected politicians, including key several key figures who played an active role in the Bangladesh Liberation War have lost their ‘Bir Muktijoddha’ status. These include Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, M. Mansur Ali, and AHM Qamaruzzaman.
The ruling, published by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law under the authority of the President, stated that all these leaders will now be classified as “associates of the Liberation War” rather than as freedom fighters.
In accordance with the ordinance, the former Prime Minister’s portrait from the Parliament has been removed, and his face stripped from the national currency, with the authorities in Dhaka issuing new notes featuring natural landscapes, as opposed to any human figure.
A Bir Muktijoddha, in accordance with the revised ordinance 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 enroll in various training camps with the aim of participating in the Liberation War.
Additionally, members of the then East Pakistan Rifles who participated in the war are now recognised as freedom fighters, along with nurses and doctors who treated the injured.
The decision has been met with a lot of controversy, with several academics, freedom fighters, politicians, soldiers, and general public, protesting the decision.
Freedom fighter and Liberation War researcher Afsan Chowdhury denounced the move, calling it an entirely bureaucratic decision.
"We have seen this since 1972 -- every time a new government comes to power, they create a new list of freedom fighters. There are personal benefits involved," he told The Daily Star.
"People will not accept this. The Liberation War will remain as it always has been -- in the hearts of the general people."
Fazlur Rahman, a freedom fighter and an advisor to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, also denounced the decision, saying "They (the government) do not uphold the spirit of the Liberation War ... It does not matter to me what types of ordinances they issue. The Liberation War will forever remain in its rightful place."
