United News of Bangladesh

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan on Thursday told Parliament that 13,324 July warriors are now receiving monthly honorarium and the process of bringing the remaining July fighters under the allowance programme is underway.   “Out of the total 14,369 people gazetted as July Warriors, 13,344 are being given monthly allowance (Tk 20,000 per person for A-class, Tk 15,000 per person for B-class, Tk 10,000 per person for C-class) through their own bank accounts. The process of giving the allowance to the remaining July Warriors is underway,” he said. The Minister said this while replying to a scripted question from opposition lawmaker Rokeya Begum (Women Seat-45) in the House. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad tabled the question-and-answer session, immediately after the day’s business started in the afternoon. Azam Khan focused on the government’s long-term plans for medical rehabilitation, employment and monthly honorarium for the fighters injured in the July uprising He said a database of 3,241 interested persons has been created for the welfare and rehabilitation of the families of July martyrs and July fighters. Out of this, a list of 1,937 persons have been sent to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for training and rehabilitation. 478 persons already dropped from list of freedom fighters: In reply to a starred question from treasury bench member Mostafizur Rahman Babul (Jamalpur-3), the Liberation War Affairs Minister said 478 names have already been removed from the list of freedom fighters. Noting that the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council was reconstituted and four sub-committees comprised of members of the Council are now scrutinising genuine freedom fighters, war-wounded freedom fighters and martyred freedom fighters. “Already, the gazette/red notice/Indian list of 478 people have been cancelled. More cancellations are in process,” he said. Besides, Azam Khan said the applications from freedom fighters who could not be listed yet are being scrutinized. 6,787 martyred FFs in Bangladesh gazette: Responding to another starred question from ruling party lawmaker Ruhul Amin Dulal (Pirojpur-3), the Liberation War affairs Minister said the names of 6,787 martyred freedom fighters were included in the Bangladesh gazette. “The names of 6,787 people, who had participated in the 1971 Liberation War and were martyred, have been included in the Bangladesh Gazette,” he said. He said the government is positive for the preparation of a list of victims to genocide during the Liberation War and the programme will be taken in phases. In reply to a starred question from BNP lawmaker Faridul Kabir Talukder (Jamalpur-4), the minister said the current government has increased the monthly honorarium by Tk 5000 for a gallantry title-winning freedom fighter in the upcoming 2026-2027 fiscal year. The monthly honorarium would be Tk 40,000 for the families of a Bir Shrestho recipient, Tk 30,000 for Bir Uttam recipient, Tk 25,000 for Bir Bikram recipient and Tk 25,000 Bir Pratik recipient.

The injured from the July Uprising have alleged that they are being denied proper treatment at Dhaka's National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (commonly known as Pongu Hospital). The allegations were made on Saturday when members of the newly formed committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement visited the hospital to see the injured. Speaking at a press briefing following the visit, the committee's spokesperson Synthia Jaheen Ayesha said, "We received numerous complaints from the injured and their families. One mother told us that after she temporarily took her son home, the hospital refused to readmit him upon their return." Ayesha further said that the mother works as a domestic aid to bear the expenses of her son's food and medicine. "We have learned that no concrete measures are being taken for their treatment, nor are they receiving any assurance regarding proper care," Ayesha added. The committee's President Rifat Rashid, echoed these concerns, stating that they found significant dissatisfaction among the injured regarding the quality of treatment. "There are rumours that the injured have formed groups or syndicates within the hospital. But during the movement, there was no grouping, everyone was united on the streets demanding the fall of Sheikh Hasina. These injured people now deserve proper treatment," Rashid said. July Uprising: Case filed after 11 months of Ria Gope’s death He further demanded that those in critical condition be sent abroad for advanced treatment. "We spoke to the hospital director, and he said he is helpless. But when we asked why, he couldn’t answer. Only the health adviser can respond to this, we plan to speak with the adviser," he added. One of the injured, Sourav, alleged that several patients have been developing infections due to the lack of proper care. He claimed that authorities asked them to return home for Eid, promising they would be readmitted later, but the promise was not kept. "If we don't get proper treatment, July will happen again inside this hospital," Sourav warned. Another July warrior, Ashiq, shared his ordeal, saying, "I returned from home 11 days ago, but the hospital refused to admit me. I have no choice but to sleep on the floor without treatment. I am only staying here in the hope of getting admitted and receiving medical care." The press conference was concluded by chanting slogans, "Chikitsha niye syndicate cholbe na!"

The government has published two separate gazettes listing 1, 401 people classified as ‘July Warriors’ under the ‘A’ and ‘B’ category as recognition of their participation in the student-led uprising. A gazette, signed by Deputy Secretary (Gazette) Haridas Thakur of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, was issued on Thursday by order of the president. Four-hundred and ninety-three people, who were severely injured, were listed under ‘A’ category, read the gazette. July uprising victims to be recognised as 'July Martyrs’, July Warriors: Adviser Farooq In another gazette, 908 people were also listed under ‘B’ category and they were seriously injured. The documents detail the serial numbers, medical case IDs, names of the injured, their parents’ names, permanent addresses, and respective divisions and districts.